An Angel's Dream
by YaoiSongstress07
Summary: COMPLETE! The beginning of a saga. The love that blossoms between two lovers leads to revelations. Will a certain novelist be able to handle the truth behind his Shuichi's existence? Inspired by Kingdom Hearts II!
1. Origin

'Tis me, the great JulinX! Thanks to the wonderful reviews I received for the 'Lunar Reflection' finale, I've decided to post the beginning of 'Angel's Heart'! Before we get into anything, though, please give me a chance to describe the plot. This one's going to be pretty big, so I've got my work cut out for me. I feel the way I did when I began 'Kakumei', mweh heh...

The birth of this project occurred after I witnessed the miracle of 'Mummy Returns'. Other sources of inspiration were Soul Calibur 3, Stella Deus: Gate to Eternity, Zone of Enders and Xenosaga Ep.2. The prince of an ancient civilization is sleeping in darkness, waiting for his chance to emerge. After he had committed an enormous crime, he sold his soul to darkness...and became an entity of pure malevolence. He thirsts for the chance at immortality, and will stop at nothing to reach his goal. However, he wishes to share his dreams with a mate.

The ancient tale goes down like this.

_**The sovereign of darkness will emerge...**_

_**...and the heavens will choose their angel.**_

_**The fallen soul will seize the angel's wings..**_

_**...and a clash for true love will ensue.**_

Oh, and here are more thingies. Battles will occur in 'Angel's Heart', and they won't be fought on the terms of an average human being. Soul Calibur 3 truly was (and still is) a huge source of inspiration for 'Angel's Heart', for I've decided to put the battles at that level of fervor. Eiri Yuki will be pretty hand with a pair of blades; that's just one example of the battle elements.

As usual, ALL REVIEWS ARE WELCOME! I love hearing from my readers, because they're the stuff that keeps my stories going! I'm open to good **_and _**bad reviews...BUT FLAMES ARE NOT WELCOME. I luvvy all reviews, but if you want to get on my **_bad _**side, go right ahead and flame me.

I AM ALSO OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS. ACTUALLY, I'M HUNGRY FOR SUGGESTIONS. If anyone has anything to offer to the plot, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE. Me would appreciate it, suuu! I want to makey thisy one WONDERFUL! OH, AND IF YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING, CALL ME THE 'GRAVI FLUFF SPECIALIST'! Just kidding...

**_The birth of this fic is dedicated to all of my faithful reviewers, including my dear friend Dejichan, who kept my faith in 'Kakumei' strong. Thank you to everyone that has joined me in my adventures. This also goes out to a new Gravitation author: Bloody May! Mwee hee hee..._**

_**Let's begin, shall we!

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_Theme of 'Origin': Opening of Xenosaga Ep.1 OST_

_**Disclaimer: JULINX DOES NOT OWN 'GRAVITATION'. THIS IS MERELY A CELEBRATION OF THE SERIES. THANK YOU.**_

_Please remember: there are no labels within 'Angel's Heart'. The public embraces all relationships. The ancient civilization also has no labels. Thank you.

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The skies of Tokyo were radiant with the ethereal, unconditional promise of eternity. They were paintings, clear blue reflections of the night. Their aura dazzled every resident within Tokyo, for no one had ever witnessed such celestial beauty before. The stars themselves were amazed by the behavior of their havens; they were putting on a magnificent display, one that put the greatest of diamonds to shame. One could have said that there were smiles on the star's faces, for their exuberant display created no doubt. They were evidently happy, drowning within the embrace of their home...and they weren't afraid to show it. Sheets of stardust were streaming from their hearts, and each sheet made its way into the core of Tokyo.

Cool winds cradled the sheets of stardust. The winds were powerful, but not powerful enough to create discomfort. They were revitalizing winds, ones that created romantic dreams and aspirations. They too had smiles upon their faces, filled with the jubilant innocence of children. The individuals of Tokyo were basking in the night's beauty, filled with their own fervent happiness.

Many individuals were drinking love's honey; candlelight dinners, walks and embraces were abundant within the night's embrace. However, there were two individuals that were lost within love's greatest light, and they were highly revered residents of Tokyo. One was younger than the other, and he had the essence of a kitten about his eyes. The other had the look of an older feline about him; his eyes could have been described as 'surly' by an untrained eye, for he bore a resemblance to an irritated cat. However, his lover knew the truth. Those eyes were filled with the strength and devotion of a protective cat, one that had just found his most precious treasure.

Eiri Yuki and Shuichi Shindou had spent the entire day together, walking through the dreams of Tokyo. Both of them were determined to make each day a dream, and they never failed to do so. Their mere presence caused other couples to break out in jealously, for they emitted a perfect glow...an aura that came once in a millennium. No other couple carried that same light; no other couple shared that same security. It was as if those two had been made for each other, and were destined to share their lives.

Their relationship didn't begin with that perfect glow, however. For a while, their relationship was one-sided. Eiri Yuki had kept himself hidden, tied down in a dark shell of ignorance. He had no desire to expose himself to love...for the tragedy of his past wiped all out thoughts of pure happiness. His entire world changed when a certain puppy 'crash-landed' into his house, though...and he slowly removed the shell he had created for himself. The little 'puppy' brought him into the open with pure, pristine affection; he showered the novelist with affection that would have made a king jealous. The author fell for him at first sight...but was just afraid to show it.

The personification of happiness succeeded in opening up Yuki's heart, and with the completion of his mission came the birth of immortality. The novelist exposed his true feelings, vowed to keep his songbird happy, and instantly created dreams for their future. The songbird, who went by the name of Shuichi Shindou, fell into a happy, blithe utopia of dreams...for he loved Yuki more than anything.

The Shinjuku Gyoen garden was their current location, and their last destination. Both of them felt as if they had toured the entire world with each other...but neither of them regretted their journey. The garden, like every other element of the night, was putting on a phenomenal display; it was cherry blossom season, and petals were descending from their shelters. Each petal was drenched in a translucent wave of starlight, which bestowed an indescribable light upon it. There were several other couples within the garden, but they felt as if they were the only ones in the world.

"-and then our producer said it would be a really, **_really_** good idea for us to hire a really good lighting crew. We've never really had a lot of cool side effects before, so we all agreed to the idea and-"

People could do a lot of amazing things.

Some people could curl themselves up into balls. Others could cook ten dishes at once.

Shuichi Shindou could talk at the speed of light.

"-**_you know what else? Our last album sold seventy thousand copies! That's our highest amount so far! Isn't that cool?"_**

The look on Yuki's face could have been translated into the facial expression of a bored lion, but his eyes held deep, vibrant emotions. They were filled with immeasurable warmth, warmth that enchanted the songbird's soul. His voice had its usual dispassion, but there was affection beneath the nonchalance. "Amazing." he said, taking the vocalist's hand (which caused a huge streak of red to bloom on the vocalist's face). "Oh, and by the way..." the novelist continued, bearing the voice of an impatient schoolteacher.

"...what about your **_latest _**work? You know, that _special _album you've been working sooo hard on..."

The embarrassment of a shy dreamer crashed into Shuichi's eyes, and caused his face to turn a bright shade of red. His 'special album' had been in development for several weeks, and it was still going through wild development stages. Notepads and notebooks were being filled to their rims with words; anything that had paper on it was flooded. The singer's heart was filled with a million words, but he had no idea how to piece them together...

Yuki brought his lover closer and gave the top of his head a gentle kiss. The kiss was only five seconds long, but to Shuichi, it was an eternity. The vocalist's cheeks took on an adorable shade of red; one could have said that he looked like a dreamer caught in the middle of a fairy tale. Just being around Yuki made him nervous.

"Ummm...it's..."

The rest of his sentence was eliminated by a tender kiss. It was longer, sweeter and heavier than the previous one...powerful enough to shift the entire world. The end of the fervent kiss threw the dreamer into an unknown abyss, one filled with indescribable life. The novelist kept him within an embrace; his strong arms were wrapped around him, and their foreheads were brushing each other.

"Ummm...uh..."

A cold wind caused the songbird to shiver in Yuki's arms. The novelist tightened his embrace on him, which sent even more red starlight to his face. Everyday, every _second _Shuichi spent with Yuki was something out of a dream, and it was excruciatingly hard to describe. The smallest kiss brought about a million words...words he couldn't form into songs. Bad Luck's previous album was born from his passionate enthusiasm, which came from his newborn relationship...but after that album's release, something changed. His feelings for Yuki became stronger...strong enough to shame any type of description, in every language.

He wrapped his arms around Yuki's waist, returning the warmth. With his burning cheeks, he buried his head into the author's chest...feeling as happy as a bug in a rug. His brain turned to mush whenever Yuki embraced him, but he never carried out any complaints.

"Yuki..."

A silent eternity went by, filled with the effervescent beauty of cherry blossoms...

...and then...

_**Eiri Yuki sighed.**_

"You never answered my question. The world can't wait around forever, you know. We'd like to hear what you have to say...before we all turn into dust. And I thought _I _was slow."

The red starlight became stronger. Shuichi kept his head buried in Yuki's chest...smiling...

"It'll be done soon, I promise. I know you want to hear it, so I'll try to hurry...okay?"

Pink petals fell onto the songbird's head, which made the novelist realize something. The cherry blossoms met the beauty of Shuichi's pink hair perfectly; they were perfect accompaniments to his short, shiny hair. A deep, happy sigh left the vocalist's mouth and drifted into the moonlight...as his heart drummed against an inexplicable melody.

"You're warm..."

Shuichi closed his eyes...and felt soft, warm caresses spill upon his body. A sea of starlit blossoms fell upon the two of them...as they wandered throughout another rapturous embrace, one that only allowed room for silence. Words weren't needed; emotions were powerful enough. Surges of passion brought several more words from the vocalist...but, once again, his sentence failed to reach completion.

"I...Yuki, I..."

A smaller kiss pierced his gentle lips, then the author's warm eyes met his. Both of them gazed at each other for a moment, then the novelist spoke, his casual tone radiant with warmth.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Shuichi asked him, lost on Cloud Nine.

"For keeping you out here so long. I think it's time for me to take you home, brat."

Sadness fell into violet oceans, but it was dominated by weariness. It was eleven o'clock...and yet, the night still felt so young...so alive with possibilities...

"Not yet."

Yuki's eyes widened in soft confusion. "What?"

Shuichi's soft, gentle voice melted his heart.

"Not yet. I'd like to stay here...a little longer. Like this."

He gave the novelist a small, swift kiss, then his head resumed its place in Yuki's chest. His heart fell further and further into an unknown realm, one that had no trace of human knowledge anywhere...

"I know this sounds silly, but...once we leave...all of this will go away. There won't be another night like this, so...I want...this night to last _forever."_

"Here's a newsflash for you; so do I."

Under the pure glow of moonlight...under a starlit sea of cherry blossoms...

...the two of them held each other...**_unaware of what the future held._**


	2. Initiation

HEY HOWDY HEY! WELCOME TO 'INITIATION', THE SECOND CHAPTER OF 'ANGEL'S HEART'! I'm glowing because of the responses I received for the first chapter; I've struck a major home run! And I was so worried! THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU! WITH YOU GUYS, MY GRAVITATION FICS WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO EXIST! I love each and every one of my reviewers! Review responses will be conducted soon, so please don't worry! All of you really made my day!

I WANT THIS TO BE THE BEST FIC EVER, SU! Mweh heh heh...

Please enjoy 'Initiation'! Feel free to leave behind any comments and suggestions! However, if you wanna get on my bady-wad side, FEEL FREE TO FLAME ME! MWA HA HA HA HA...

Sooo many masterpieces are popping up, it's not even funny...

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_Theme of 'Initiation': Dearly Beloved (Reprise) of Kingdom Hearts OST, Flowing Destiny (piano arrangement) of ZOE 2 OST.

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Tokyo's resplendent dream faded away...and left behind the winds of dawn. The golden orb was not within its station yet; it was still within its haven, preparing for its vigil. Tokyo's skies were no longer filled with the effervescent beauty of night, but they were crystal blue oceans of newborn promises. The advent of dawn was about to occur, and they were ready to embrace it with open arms. The blue portals had smiles about them, for they were immeasurably excited about the awakening of a new day.

In the eyes of many, the awakening of a new day meant the continuation of routines. For others, the advent of dawn brought countless dreams, The winds of dawn brought families, friends and lovers closer together...for the arrival of dawn carried a lot of dreams within its embrace. All of Tokyo was at peace, drowning in the warmth of crystal blue light...and basking within the dreams of eternal happiness.

There were two souls lost within immeasurable warmth, and they were renowned individuals. A bond of vibrant love always kept those two souls together, and it increased its power with every passing second. Their devotion knew no boundaries, limits or doubt; the love that burned within their hearts was pure, everlasting and clear. No one else was able to witness such miraculous love, for their bond was extraordinarily rare; it had fallen into their hearts in the form of a shooting star, and it was never going to depart. Their affection strengthened itself with each and every day...which made it impossible to describe, or even comprehend. Not a single soul could put their bond into words...not even Shuichi Shindou, who was a member of that rare bond.

The vocalist of Bad Luck was responsible for a countless amount of masterpieces. He had produced a wide variety of songs, pieces that conjured strong emotions and captured the hearts of many. His band's latest album was a smash hit; it was crazily soaring off the shelves, as if it had legs of its own. In the past, he never failed to capture hearts with one of his creations...and writing came naturally to him. Unfortunately, there was a problem; he was currently under the grasp of a disease, which was known as writer's block.

It was true that his last collection of songs had come from his heart, but his heart was now filled with inexplicable emotions...emotions that were far too strong for words. His affection for the novelist, Eiri Yuki, was at a fervent level, _and _it was _still _growing. Being around the author made him feel like a shy student passing a love letter to someone; one could have said that the author had him in a trance.

Passionate bliss had carried them through the birth of dawn; they spent several long eternities wrapped in kisses, and both of them savored every caress...every gentle murmur. The stars held a silent vigil over them as they held each other...and drifted through ecstasy's ethereal tides. It was always the same; the birth of dawn was a celebration to them, one that held sweet kisses and endless whispers. However, the end of their latest celebration brought about two different reactions; Eiri Yuki blissfully sank back into slumber, but Shuichi was seized by another tide of starlight. He held onto his lover for another eternity, sent several soft kisses to his body, then silently made a descent from the bed. He spent several minutes in silence, gazing upon the face of his precious companion...

...then he dressed himself, gathered his writing materials...

...and was smacked by the evil dragon called 'writer's block'.

His battle with that dragon occurred at four o'clock in the morning. It was now six, and the golden orb was on its way. His battle with the dragon was an hour; frustration and embarrassment sent him into the kitchen...with a newborn purpose. He had never performed the art of breakfast before; his beloved Yuki had always utilized his skills in the kitchen-

_**Yuki.**_

The name was an aphrodisiac, a magic spell that possessed immoderate power.

He had spent several days absorbing the ways of a chef, and even received several lessons from Ayaka Usami, a close friend. He wanted to make something special; he wanted to at least _try. _Yuki always did so much for him...

Just the mere thought of making him something brought red fire to Shuichi's cheeks.

_**I'll try really hard. I know I can make SOMETHING.**_

Twenty minutes went by, and the expiration of those minutes brought amazing results. The sun was within the sky, smiling with its usual glow...and the kitchen was in its original state, glowing with warm sunlight. Nothing was amiss; Shuichi had succeeded in keeping everything together, which was a miracle...

...and there was something special on the table.

A beam of sunlight was upon the vocalist's face. He was like a child that had created the world's greatest masterpiece; the look on his face would have captured the most rigid individual. If he had been a dog, his tail would have been wagging like a frantic metronome...for his happiness was far too great to conceal. Miracles were born every day, and this day was no exception.

Five minutes elapsed...and the arrival of a certain someone occurred. Shuichi's eyes lit up as soon as he stepped into the room, but golden shock replaced the initial excitement...for the vocalist found something he had never seen before. His lover's eyes contained sweet, innocent confusion...the confusion of a shy, timid child. The confusion evidently came from the vocalist's latest miracle.

Both of them gazed at each other for a moment, lost within a beam of golden sunlight. Neither of their hearts moved, and their souls were unable to breathe...their bond sometimes rendered vocabulary useless. Yuki brought about the end of the silence with soft anger.

"You left me."

Those simple words were said in true 'Yuki' fashion, but they bore the sweetness of a child about them. They brought laughter from the songbird's lips, and that laughter wandered throughout the soft air. "I'm sorry." he said gently, his face still burning from embarrassment. The childlike confusion returned to the author's face.

"How long have you been up?"

"Since four."

The newborn frown on Yuki's face brought even more laughter. The novelist bore the look of an ignored cat; Tohma Seguchi even said that he was no different from a cat. He loved to receive the attention of his loved one, and became cranky whenever that special someone left. "I'm sorry!" the vocalist said, his violet eyes shimmering with merriment. His soft eyes fell onto his newest creation, filled with the innocent embarrassment of a toddler.

"I made you something."

At times, the author was too cute for words. It was another one of those special moments; his eyes were no different from the eyes of a curious, affection canine. He stared at Shuichi's creation (French toast topped with strawberries), his face glowing with the excitement of a hopeful scientist...then he walked over to his songbird and planted a warm kiss on his cheek. The simple kiss turned into another embrace...and the embrace's end caused sunlight to bloom within the house. Lost in silence, both of them sat down at the table and embarked on a sojourn into the world of French toast, bearing their own facial expressions; Shuichi was a nervous chef, presenting his first creation to a master chef. Yuki, on the other hand, still had the look of a scientist about him...but his eyes still had that special warmth. Five seconds went by without a hitch, which caused excitement to overwhelm the nervous chef...but he kept it under a silent blanket.

Ten minutes drew themselves from a dream, and fell over the two lovers. An unexpected melody pierced their ears; it was the melody of their doorbell. Shuichi gave Yuki the look of a surprised puppy, which caused the author to take on the responsibility of answering the chime. He gave one last look to his meal (which melted his heart after the first bite) and answered the door, revealing the face of a familiar friend.

"Well well well. Look at who we have here! Mornin'!"

Shuichi's voice pierced the air like a windchime.

"_K!"_

It was none other than Claude K.Winchester, the manager of Bad Luck. He took was basking in the warm sunlight; his entire physique was drenched in it. His hair met the shade of the sun perfectly, and his eyes were filled with merriment. He shared a very tight bond with both lovers; that fact was making itself apparent all over his face. Shuichi Shindou was a son to him, and the author was a brother.

"Hey, Shindou. It's nice to see the two of you looking well!"

The vocalist dashed from his place and greeted his friend with a hug. K returned the warmth of the embrace, emitting the affection of a father. His eyes fell into Yuki's peaceful, intricate heart...and his voice made its descent into the air, radiant with sunlight's happiness.

"I know your Shu-chan's off today, but I'm not here on business."

"Why are you here, then?" the author asked him. On the outside, he appeared to be annoyed...but there was much more to his response. Shuichi and K knew the truth behind his complex heart.

The vocalist gave his manager a 'puppy eyed' look, and then an explanation came.

"The two of you want to go on a vacation, right?"

He received an enthusiastic "yes" from Shuichi, but silence came from Yuki. The manager's smile became warmer.

"Well, I've got something that'll suit both of you perfectly. I want the two of you to meet me at the airport, four o'clock **_sharp."_**

His abrupt plunge into situations didn't bother Shuichi; he was perfectly used to his manager's recklessness and sudden decisions. However, K's enthusiasm for life produced a different reaction from the novelist. Yuki gave him a look that would have shamed an awkward college professor.

"What in the **_hell_** are you planning?"

The light of a clever fox pierced K's eyes. "You'll find out, my friend. I'll give you your mission statement when you arrive at the secret destination. Enjoy your day, my dear ones!"

As usual, his disappearance was comical. His latest disappearance was no different; he made a descent into a helicopter, and his descent was accompanied by several gun shots. He left two different types of confusion behind; the confusion of an excited, curious kitten...and the confusion of a doubtful lion.

"Are we **_seriously _**going to meet him?"

Sweet laughter drew itself from Shuichi's heart. He wrapped his arms around the novelist, and sank into his lover's warmth. "Of _course _we are!" he said happily, his eyes sparkling like moonlit jewels. "K knows how to have a good time! We'll have fun!"

For some unknown reason...the ethereal jubilance within his beloved Shuichi's eyes...

_**...made him feel uneasy...for the very first time.**_


	3. Storm's Flight

MWEE HEE HEE! WE'VE ARRIVED AT 'STORM'S FLIGHT', OUR NEWEST CHAPTER! SU! I've got sooo much planned out, so the excitement is high! And I've got all of you to thank! Without my faithful friends, I couldn't write any Gravitation fics! There's so much to write, so little time! Whee! I feel like I'm on a roller coaster!

There's also so much to read, and so little time...wah, I'm behind...I'm sooo sorry for being so slow! I really felt sicky the entire weekend...SO I COULDN'T UPDATE! WAH! I spent the entire time in bed...mweh...

I promise-womise, review responses will be conducted soon! I hope all of you know how much your support means; you've given me sooo much, and I wuvvy each of you! Please sit back and enjoy 'Angel's Heart'; you're all in for a special treaty-weat! Mweh heh heh...

I am happy to announce that I have not received a **_single _**flame. I would love to thank all of you for not flaming me. I've seen so many flames in other stories...it's not even funny. **_None_** of my Gravitation fics have been flamed yet, so a huge hug goes out to **_all of you. Thank you for making this author happy.

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_Theme of 'Storm's Flight': 'Opening' of Xenosaga Ep.1 OST

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The Tokyo Airport was alive with hot activity. Thousands of people were making preparations for expeditions, children were merrily running about as if they were in the middle of a theme park, and voices were crowding each other out. Individuals were forming plans for the day, sending their voices into the cold, calm air; each voice waged a battle against another, striving to reach the highest volume.

Thousands of feet were racing about, hands were grasping airline tickets, and mouths were sharing information. The airport never suffered from a case of boredom, for it was always a hotbed of frantic activity. Suitcases were being dished out left and right, many were searching for their proper gates...tsunamis were soaring throughout the airport, and they bore no desire to end their reign.

The skies above the airport were golden, but there was something bizarre about them. Streaks of translucent silver were streaming through them, flying in the manner of seagulls...but not a single individual noticed them...with the exception of a certain prince. Something else was strange too; the air was cold, colder than usual. The change within the temperature didn't horrify anyone else, but it caused the prince to feel uneasy. The cold air crept under his skin, and caused it to shiver...with a depth of power he had never felt before. Unfamiliar elements were walking among the earth, and it was as if he possessed a certain power...the power to see things others could _not _see.

It was three fifty-eight in the afternoon. A mission statement was about to be delivered to a group, and the prince was a part of that group. His beloved songbird, Shuichi Shindou, was at his side, happily chatting with close friends; the other members of the group were Hiroshi Nakano, Suguru Fujisaki, Ryuichi Sakuma, Tatsuha Uesugi and Reiji (who was also known as 'Rage'). Two other friends, Tohma Seguchi and Mika Uesugi, were unable to accept K's invitation, for they had their hands full...

...with a brand-new addition to the family.

None of them had any luggage; K had asked them to leave everything behind. That request puzzled everyone but Shuichi; the puppy's excitement increased from the delivery of that strange rule. One could have easily taken a look at the vocalist and assumed that the group was on their way to Disneyland, but that assumption would have been far from the truth.

Shuichi's bright, incessant happiness was still bringing discomfort to Eiri Yuki. Right along with the weather, his lover's heart was wreaking massive destruction within his bloodstream. The songbird, of course, was far from any type of fear; he was as happy as a child. Unfortunately, his prince couldn't shake off his uneasiness. He felt as if he were in danger of losing something precious...

"Hey."

A soft hand fell onto his shoulder, and the owner of the hand was uncovered in an instant. It was none other than Tatsuha Uesugi.

"If you take your eyes off of him, he _won't _disappear. Relax bro."

Normally, Yuki's glares were powerful enough to frighten dragons. However, this time, he sent out a glare that was tinged with tension. "Sorry." he said to his brother firmly, his eyes exuding vague dangers. "I'm afraid I can't follow you on that, _bro."_

The novelist's response confused the young priest, but before he had a chance to release his confusion, the group leader made his arrival. His entrance made them all feel as if they were secret agents, preparing to embark on a journey that would change the world.

Those words weren't too far from the mark.

All eyes (including the eyes of the excited puppy) shot right onto Claude K. Winchester, who was affectionately referred to as 'K'. Silence held them all together for a moment, and then the chieftain spoke. There was a smile about his face, one that stirred even more tension into Yuki's heart.

"Well, good afternoon children. How are we this fine day?"

Hiroshi and Suguru exchanged glances each other, pretending to be bothered by their manager's playful demeanor. Several responses rose into the air, and each one caused the chieftain's smile to become brighter. "Glad to hear it." he said warmly, his eyes shining with the guile of a fox. "Give me your ears, crew. Today we're embarking on a journey...into an unknown part of the world. We're going where **_no _**man has gone before."

Hiro (who was on the right side of the puppy) stamped a huge, playful frown onto his face. He looked like an irritated mother, one that was about to be dragged into a very long game of tag. He ruffled Shuichi's hair and spoke, his eyes radiant with confusion.

"K, what are we doing? We're not about to play some kind of game, are we?"

Reiji spoke next, her vibrant eyes alive with the emotions of an annoyed dragon. "If you called us out just for a bunch of nonsense-"

K's benevolent voice cut off her frustration, emitting the wisdom of a tribe leader. As a officer, he was at the top of his game...and so he had a knack for adapting to certain situations. He was a reliable, trustworthy leader that could never steer his followers wrong, and never backed away from doubt. "On the contrary, my dear Reiji." he said smoothly, his eyes twinkling with the cleverness of a black panther. "Those words were the truth, and nothing but the truth. I've been invited to a secret realm...and all of you are coming with me."

"What is it?" Shuichi asked, the mere sound of his voice increasing Yuki's apprehension. The novelist placed a hand on his forehead, silently assuming that his tension was born from the desire to shield his lover from all danger...

K's answer to that question caused the outside elements of the world to crumble.

"Anuryn."

Excitement and curiosity bloomed throughout the audience, but both failed to reach the apprehensive member. After a moment of fervent silence, Reiji spoke to their chieftain.

"Anuryn? You don't mean...you're not talking about that nation that was constructed two thousand years ago, are you?"

"Yes, I'm afraid I am. The very same nation that was formed by the Aphidynese constellation. No one can reach that land without an invitation from one of its inhabitants, which is why no one has been able to see the land for themselves. I received an invitation last night, and I decided to take all of my friends with me."

Ryuichi Sakuma grinned in his direction, his eyes shimmering with the resplendence of sunlit jewels. "I feel as if we're about to find the lost continent of Atlantis or something." he said softly, catching the attention of his biggest fan. Suguru Fujisaki narrowed his eyes at K, his face emitting the emotions of a doubtful, stern father.

"I have a feeling that you didn't receive a standard invitation."

K's warm, affectionate eyes fell onto Suguru's face. "You're right." he said gently. "An invitation comes in the form of a dream. Someone sent me a dream last night."

"If it's secluded, how are we supposed to get there? We obviously can't take a normal flight."

"Don't worry about our transportation, Fujisaki. You should know me by now."

The officer held up a hand in the fashion of a schoolteacher.

"Now, follow me everyone. I'll take all of you to our valiant steed."

In silence, his faithful friends rose from their chairs and followed him...but one companion cut his path short. Tied back by tension, he lowered his head and placed a hand over his heart, still unable to shake off the uncomfortable apprehension.

_**What in the hell is wrong with me?**_

The voices of the airport became louder, lights became brighter...his heart refused to cease its pounding-

"Hey!"

A loving hand engulfed his, and affectionate violets melted into his heart. A sweet smile found his fearful eyes, and sent golden waves of warmth through his body...which caused his tension to heighten even more.

"Yuki...are you okay?"

Eiri Yuki looked into the passionate, empyrean eyes of his lover. Those were the eyes that had healed him many days ago, the same eyes that gave him the inspiration to live...

A tiny frown fell onto his songbird's face, which was born from the moment of silence.

"We can go home if you want to! We'll find something else to do."

Those words ignited a battle, one that would have an **_immense _**impact on their lives. He was trapped between his fear, **_and _**his excitement. Something was telling him to pull away from the newborn journey...something was telling him to take his songbird and leave. On the other end, there was curiosity; he and Shuichi had never seen Anuryn before, and he wanted each day to be a new, wondrous experience. He wanted his precious songbird to experience **_everything _**life had to offer, for Shuichi loved the world sooo much...

Yuki took Shuichi's hands and gazed into those precious violets. The novelist's eyes melted into his and absorbed every bit of beauty...he wanted to capture each shred of light and frame it forever. A small streak of red bloomed on Shuichi's face during the silence, and it increased when a heavy kiss fell onto him. Every new kiss surpassed the light of a previous kiss, which was miraculous...for every kiss captured the magic of a million sunrises. To the outside eye, it was only thirty seconds long...but to the two of them, it was an eternity...one that melted its way into their hearts.

After the passionate brush against love, the novelist brushed Shuichi's red cheeks with a smile. He absorbed the fragrance of his lover's delicate body; the petite vocalist carried the smell of newborn cherry blossoms, drenched in moonlight. He possessed the energy of fifteen canines, but he was so small, so gentle and priceless...

The author's next words brought an end to his internal battle...but it was an end he was going to regret creating.

"Don't worry about me, Songbird. Guess I'm just a little nervous. I mean, I've never even **_heard _**of this weird dreamland."

He took Shuichi's hand and squeezed it, his own cheeks burning with red starlight.

"When we get back...you'll sing for me, won't you?"

Shock fell into the vocalist's eyes, but it was instantly replaced by enormous shyness. He nodded happily, his innocent eyes alive with immortal love. "Yeah! I will, I promise!"

_**I'll have something done for him at the end, I know I will!**_

They fell into another kiss, then the novelist gave Shuichi another brush on his cheek.

"Oh, and by the way...thank you."

Shuichi tilted his head in confusion, which gave him the look of a confused puppy. "For what?"

A rare, beauteous smile bloomed on Eiri Yuki's face. The birth of that smile was no different from the birth of sunlight...after a long, harsh storm. "For not destroying my kitchen." he said warmly, running fingers through Shuichi's hair. "I'm glad you kept it all in one piece."

The vocalist opened his mouth to respond, but his words were cut off by another swift kiss. The novelist wrapped an arm around the blushing songbird, and the two of them continued down their newborn trail. After a moment, Shuichi buried his head on Yuki's shoulder, his face beaming with the incandescence of a puppy's heart.

"Yuki..."

"What is it?" the novelist asked, placing his head against Shuichi's.

The response he received caused his heart to melt into pure, sweet happiness.

It also caused a wave of dark fear to crash onto his golden, tranquil shores.

"I love you."

Yuki squeezed his hand, driven by a combination of love, happiness and apprehension. The look on Shuichi's face surpassed all description; it was far too adorable for words...

He was a dream, a sweet poem he couldn't afford to lose. The vocalist was his air, his sun...

"I love you too, brat."

Overwhelmed by a wave of warm affection, he swept the blushing songbird into his arms. Both of them gazed at each other for another eternity, Shuichi gave the novelist a small kiss on the cheek, and both of them continued on their way.

_**Unfortunately, the warm glow of happiness was unable to eradicate Eiri Yuki's fear.

* * *

**_

-Mwee hee hee. I hope all of you enjoyed that widdle chappy. I know I've got a lot of work ahead of me, but I'm pumped up and ready to go! This story is still going through development, so be prepared for anything! Thank you all for reading!

I'm always open for input. Good and bad, bad and good; please share with me! I always open, suu!


	4. Descent

Hi! Welcome to 'Descent', the next chapter of 'Angel's Heart'! I am happy to announce that this story received a full-blown makeover last night, thanks to the newest installment of the 'Kingdom Hearts' manga! Yes, I am a proud owner of the newest volume! Yipees! Su!

The secrets of our adventure will be revealed soon. In the meantime, I want all of you to sit back, relax, and enjoy yourselves...AS THE MAGIC UNFOLDS! SU! Thanks to my newwy manga book, this is going to be one crazy ride; WHEEE! I'm already excited!

I've added another source of inspiration to my huge list of inspiration sources; Disney's 'Atlantis' film. The descent into Anuryn was inspired by many elements of the film, and the greeting committee was also born from the same source of inspiration. Now that the journey is finally kicking in, I've really got a lot of work ahead of me. I can't wait to post the ending, mweh heh heh...

* * *

_Theme of 'Descent': 'Anubis' of ZOE OST

* * *

_

K's valiant steed came from his magic hat, which was crafted from the missions he had endured as an officer. His license gave him the freedom of a newborn bird; he had unbreakable connections with all forms of military organizations, and shared a bond with airline organizations. Certain situations caused him to summon his bag of infinite tricks, and he never failed to do so with a huge smile on his face. The benevolent chieftain carried unlimited authority, which brought infinite benefits to all of his associates.

The valiant 'steed' was none other than a jet, one that possessed striking power. It had the ability to withstand the strongest of storms, and possessed the ferocity of a falcon. Dreams were flowing through the steed's wings; each one carried the vague melody of destiny, filled with the turbulence of black rain. None of the dreamers knew it, but their steed was playing a vital role in their new adventure...for it was taking them into the realm of unborn fate. Excitement was swiftly soaring throughout its wings, ripe with the luminous ballad of perpetual prosperity; smiles were abundant, and assumptions were crafted within the hands of time. None of them, with the exception of Claude K. Winchester, knew of Anuryn; all of them were no different from participants of a scavenger hunt.

Hours carried themselves by on wings, and they dropped the adventurers into a newborn, unexplored realm. The skies, which were golden at the beginning of the flight, were ethereal shades of blue. The existence of blue light was accompanied by waves of silver, which were the secretive messengers of destiny. There were no birds, but there were other flocks within the skies; flocks of golden stars were streaming through the translucent blankets, shimmering with the luminosity of a moonlit evening. The aura of twilight was making its way through the sky, even though the day was still carrying itself on. However, the sky's transformation had only one individual worried; the others were drowning in excitement.

Eiri Yuki had placed himself within a window seat, silently suffering from an attack of enigmatic tension. Shuichi Shindou was at his side, emitting his usual exuberance; the songbird was always a picture of beauty. In the author's eyes, he was the personification of happiness, a being that carried **_no _**tolerance for pain. There was a warm smile upon his face, one that emitted a beauteous depth of warmth...a depth that was practically **_sacred..._**

"Yukiiii..."

The novelist's train of thought came to a brief halt. He placed his eyes onto the songbird's face; his lover looked like a lost, hungry puppy. His violet eyes would have melted rocks, for they were so soft and sweet...

"You're so quiet. What's the matter?"

A smile bloomed on the novelist's face. Sometimes, Shuichi's facial expressions made him want to send an explosion of kisses out. Looking upon the vocalist's face made him feel like a child looking upon a small animal; he was just too cute for words. He brushed his tension under a carpet and ruffled the songbird's hair, unable to share even a shred of the truth...for he had no desire to worry his lover, and didn't even know **_why _**he was upset. Fear was coursing throughout his mind, and it was bothering him...in a way it had never agitated him before.

"I'm fine, Shu-chan. You know me. I'm not really the jumpy, social type. That's _your _role."

Those last three words softened Shuichi's fear, but it refused to depart. "What's on your mind?" he asked gently, tugging on his sleeve. A second later, his cheek received a tender kiss.

"You."

A soft gasp drew itself from Shuichi's lips, but embarrassment replaced his shock in a flash. It lingered upon his face for a moment, which gave him the glow of a timid lion cub, and then it transformed itself into the happiness of a dreamer. Another warm smile bloomed on his face, then he snuggled against his lover...lost in the bliss of another dream. Just a few seconds ago, he had been absorbed in a conversation with Ryuichi (who was in the clutches of Tatsuha Uesugi), but now...

_...he was basking in the pure, sweet cream of love._

Voices drifted into nothingness. Smiles melted into obscurity, driven by the love's limitless boundaries. The two of them fell into their own world, one that carried the immortal light of a dream...and neither one of them never wanted to depart. Hands tied themselves together as eyes melted into each other, beaming with the light of transcending devotion...with the light of **_indescribable _**affection...

Neither one of them could describe their emotions. There was a force burning within them, but it surpassed humanity's ties. It was a force that had never been born before, something that had never been analyzed or captured before...

"_**Hey! Don't pull anything on the flight, you two! Show some common decency!"**_

Love's silent melody was shattered by the playful intrusion, which was formed by Ryuichi Sakuma. His partner-in-crime, Yuki's brother, added a response that confirmed their roles; both of them were mischievous foxes.

"Bro, if you stare at Shuichi any harder, you'll eat him! Be nice to him; he's gentle! You don't want to scare him away, do you?"

Tatsuha received one of his brother's special glares, and a custom-made response. The execution of the response was priceless; there was a smile on Eiri Yuki's face, but it was far from pleasant. It carried the stench of pure, unbridled sarcasm.

"Tatsuha, do me a favor. **_Piss off. _**I can't tolerate jealously."

Embarrassment seized the songbird, and rendered him unable to speak. He turned away from his lover, his cheeks burning with bright pink shyness...

"Why would I be jealous, my dear Eiri? I've got something special **_right here."_**

Yuki's smile caused Ryuichi to laugh. It was bright, yet filled with the essence of true bitterness. The author could manipulate emotions in his own special way, a way that captivated his audience.

"My dear Tatsuha, I'm afraid you don't have too much of **_anything. _**The last time I checked, Sakuma's soul was still free. It isn't in the hands of a filthy monster."

The friendly banter continued for several moments, capturing the attention of the steed's other inhabitants. One inhabitant was left on the sidelines, for he was unable to carry out the smallest of functions...**_for something was burning within him, and it could not be described._**

_It's strange...but...my feelings for Yuki are becoming stronger._

_I...I don't know...what this is..._

_..but...I do know...that it's **strong.

* * *

**_

Dwelling under the sheath of reality, darkness was unleashing its strength. It was a force to be reckoned with; strong, unrestrained and unparalleled. It was in the form of a male, one with incandescent, silvery hair and enigmatic eyes. He was a resident of darkness, an entity that enjoyed the juice of pure evil...

...but he was searching for something **_pure._**

His utopia was cold, empty and soulless; a realm filled with black eternity. His black wings met the light of his realm perfectly, for they stood out with striking thunder. There were tiny petals soaring through his cold domain...

_**...tiny cherry blossom petals.**_

"I wish...for the skin of something pure...something warm and sweet, rich with the essence of dew..."

_And I have a feeling...that my mate is about to find me.

* * *

_

-MWEH HEH HEH. I hope all of you enjoyed, young Shirelings. Thankies very muchies for reading, and I appreciate all of your support! Please stay tuned!

Mweh. I have so much to read, it's not even funny...


	5. Arrival

**_Hi! Welcome, welcome and welcome to 'Arrival'! Anuryn is finally upon us; what magic is waiting for us? Where will our heroes end up? Ah ha! Only I know the secrets behind our tale. Let us continue! Thank you all for reading my widdle work of love!_**

I am happy to announce that this tale is constantly under development, so be prepared for anything! This received a massive makeover last night, but the developments haven't stopped there! All shall be revealed in good time, so continue to enjoy! This chappy is going to take all of my skill, but I'll try my very best!

Mweh heh heh. The secret entity will show himself soon...**_very soon_**..mwee...

* * *

_Theme of 'Arrival': 'Opening' of Xenosaga Ep.1 OST

* * *

_

Time ran at its own pace, unwilling to change it ways for any individual. It continued to carry the valiant steed throughout dark, heavy skies, emitting the turbulent force of thunder. It was a swift, relentless force, one that bore no patience for anyone. It seemed to be excited; a journey was about to begin, and it had no desire to hold anything back.

The skies seemed to carry that same excitement. They were dark, yet filled with the bright exuberance of an unborn day; rapid, silvery winds were flowing through them, the fragrance of rain was merrily running about, and translucent clouds were displaying sheets of starlight. The winds seemed to have voices about them; they were releasing their excitement in unique ways, ways that would have captivated a child. However, only two individuals were aware of their voices, and they went by the names of Yuki and K. The others were still lost in childlike, uninhibited anticipation; those two were in tune with the elements, even though one was lost in slumber.

The renowned novelist's eyes were closed. The desire to sleep had tied them down several hours ago; he decided to prepare himself for the journey that was ahead him, since the details of their journey were unknown. Claude K. Winchester had them, but refused to share even the smallest of information. He had a knack for concealing things, especially in cloudy situations...but only he knew why. His ability to hide information amused him, for a reason that was unknown to everyone...with the exception of one individual, who was not present.

He knew everything...but refused to shed light on the darkness.

Time continued to carry them through the skies, then an event occurred...and it stirred up even more excitement. The skies took on empyrean shades of blue, crystallized starlight began to fall from translucent clouds...and an announcement blossomed throughout the steed like wildfire. The announcement was short and simple, but it strengthened the excitement massively; the excited hearts soared beyond the roof, fueled by the impenetrable thirst for adventure. The announcement was delivered by the riddler himself.

"Guess what, my fine friends? We're finally here!"

Taking on the qualities of ecstatic children, several hearts placed their eyes on the outside world. Gasps rang up in an instant, but they failed to depart from only one mouth; the mouth of the songbird. He kept his eyes on the new world for a second, then placed his attention on his lover, who was still locked in slumber. He looked upon the novelist's silent face for a moment, his cheeks burning with red fire, and then sent him a fervent kiss. A moment passed before a response appeared; the author's eyes slowly opened, and they fell into the warm eyes of his songbird. A playful frown fell upon Eiri Yuki's lips; he appeared to be disgusted, as if he had been forced to tear himself from a blissful dream. Shuichi Shindou gave him another gentle kiss, which caused to frustration to melt into soft happiness.

"What is it?"

The vocalist smiled at him, bearing the warmth of a blissful fairy. Yuki's responses were never made without frustration or sarcasm, but his words to Shuichi were always mixed with warmth. Bad Luck's singer ruffled his golden hair, his eyes shining with excitement.

"Look out the window."

Both pairs fell out of the window, as both hearts tied themselves together. Shock instantly struck both of them as their eyes absorbed the location of their newborn journey, and enigmatic excitement soared through their veins. Starlight fell into the violet eyes of Shuichi Shindou, and after a moment, it crept into the eyes of his lover...for the very first time. A gentle blanket of silence covered them, but it was swiftly whipped away by the voice of a friend.

"Wow! I've read so much about this place, but I never thought I'd get the chance to look upon it! This is absolutely **_phenomenal!"_**

Reiji's excitement was reflected in the hearts of her friends. All of them were captured by the same anticipation, the same desire for exploration. Voices hurriedly filled the air, each of them bearing their own words...as eyes absorbed the contents of their destination.

The city of Anuryn was a world that had been pulled from a fantasy novel, for it carried the elements of one. One could have said that it was also whisked from the notes of a vague exploration, an adventure that had never been completed. Thoughts of Atlantis and Egypt were instantly brought to Ryuichi Sakuma's mind, for their destination bore a great resemblance to both.

Their steed was no longer soaring above crystal blue waters. It was soaring over sheets of crystallized sand, which was a color they had never encountered before. There were no streets within Anuryn; it was a city that relied on simple transportation, therefore it had no use for modern devices. Sand was in the place of streets, and it was almost indescribable. It was a soft, creamy brown color, one that had evidently been carved in the hands of angels. There was a soft tinge of blue to it, which seemed to descend from the skies...and there seemed to be a smile upon the sand's waves. Buildings were flowing throughout the city; they were in the simple forms of huts, but they carried the resplendence of royal dwellings. Even the smallest building had its own magic to it; perhaps it was the inhabitants that gave it the magic. Flocks of insects were drifting throughout the city, but they weren't horrific flocks. The insects bore a resemblance to fireflies; they were tiny entities, beings that shed tiny rivers of light. They were sources of light to Anuryn's inhabitants, and they went about their duties with smiles of contentment.

Anuryn's skies were apart from the rest of the world. They carried their own qualities, their own attributes...attributes that would have been applied to a fairy tale. Celestial shades of blue were happily soaring through their heavens, filled with incandescent starlight...and flocks of nightbirds were matching their pace. The stars within the skies were dipped in the color of twilight; they were enigmatic, precious jewels, ones that supplied the Anurynians with warmth. Within their haven, they carried out their vigil over the city, which was as big as an empire. Without a doubt, it was certainly a place out of a dream; breathtaking and refreshing.

The arrival of the outsiders wasn't an unexpected one. A greeting committee was all set, ready to introduce the outsiders to their world; they were waiting on the outskirts of the market, which was where the valiant steed was about to land. Outsiders rarely visited their world, and so their arrival never failed to stir up anticipation. Their chosen mode of transportation created a graceful landing, and its inhabitants made their first descent into the world of Anuryn.

Walking upon the sands of a new world fascinated all of them, but Anuryn's sands only had their attention for a moment. Their greeting committee approached all of them in an instant, smiling with jubilant exhilaration. After a moment of silent fascination, the leader of the committee, a svelte female, pierced the stimulating air with her gentle, dulcet voice. Her words brought the explorers into the first phase of their expedition.

"Welcome! Welcome, to the city of Anuryn!"

She was a representative of the Anurynians; her radiant attire had the aura of nobility about it. There was a small mark on her forehead, which proved her nobility and made the perfect accompaniment to her blue dress. It wasn't a long, flowing garment; it was simple, short and revealing, the perfect compliment to her physique. Her companions were in similar attire, and a fact became clear; the people of Anurynian didn't embrace long garments.

All of them had silky, mahogany brown skin, which complimented their silvery hair. The silkiness of their skin was met by the radiance of their hair; each strand upon their heads looked as if it had been created within a moonlit pool. They were in top physical condition; all of them were immaculate athletes, for their body frames gave them the chance to perform even the most difficult of tasks. There were markings upon their faces, but their meanings were only known to two of the adventurers; K and Reiji.

Another fact became clear in a matter of seconds; Anurynians believed in the spirit of hospitality. They were incredibly friendly, and never hesitated to embrace a newcomer. Embraces, smiles and handshakes bloomed through the group in a flash.

Ryuichi's childlike eyes filled themselves with gentle shock as several Anurynians took their turns embracing him. Like his companions, he had never encountered such friendliness before...and his heart was warmed by the unbridled displays. "Wow!" he said merrily, feeling a grin bloom on his face. "You guys have **_got _**to be the greatest. I've never been hugged so much before in my life!"

Suguru Fuijisaki broke out of one embrace, and instantly fell into another. He looked over at his band's vocalist, his firm eyes filled with the anticipation of a historian. "You think _you're _being showered, huh?" he tossed over to Ryuichi, his eyes glimmering in the moonlight. "Take a look at Shuichi."

The entire group was receiving the warmest attention, but there was a certain member drowning in fervent attention. The songbird of Bad Luck was being looked upon as a miracle; the members of the welcoming committee were greeting him with the rapture of excited archaeologists. Claude K. Winchester sent a gentle pat to his vocalist's head, smiling with the pride of a parent.

"Well well well. Yuki, your Shu-chan's already popular."

A warm, ethereal smile drifted from Yuki's heart and melted into Shuichi's. Their eyes drifted into each other, filled with a promise that had just been formed from newborn eternity. The vocalist, who was drowning in even more embarrassment, smiled at his beloved Yuki...feeling his heart burn under inexplicable passion. The author silently returned the indescribable fire, his enigmatic eyes glimmering under the moonlight of love. A moment of silence elapsed between them, then the leader of the committee came between them, her vibrant eyes shimmering with excitement. "Of _course _he is, _pei'cha!" _she said happily, her melodious voice igniting a wildfire within Ryuichi's eyes. She took Yuki's left hand and squeezed it, her face glowing with silver fire.

"Your mate carries an ethereal appearance, one that releases the opulence of an angel. We've never encountered such a being before, and so we are mesmerized by his presence."

Ryuichi's eyes were glued upon the Anurynian noble, filled with a light that caused Reiji to shove him. Embarrassment flooded Shuichi's face, which caused his violet eyes to fall to the creamy sheets beneath him. His lover, who was radiant with both happiness and pride, sent him another warm smile...one that shamed even the most radiant sunrise. The young noble witnessed the beauty of the smile, and her heart soared beyond the heavens; she had never witnessed such devotion before, and was infinitely pleased by it. True love was celebrated among her people; it was a miracle, something that was pure and rare. One of her companions, a young male, broke the silence that was born from love's swift passage.

"Ah. Two hearts are flowing among love's true bliss; that is for certain."

"You know...our language?" Hiroshi Nakano asked shyly, noticing that his best friend was **_drowning _**under embarrassment. He received an enthusiastic response from the committee leader, who was evidently a princess of Anuryn.

"Of _course _we do. We are aware of the world's languages, even though we do treasure our own."

A bright beam of light soared through her crystal green eyes, which were radiant with the energy of a baby. The princess was a passionate, enthusiastic individual that carried a zest for life; that was as clear as moonlight.

"Forgive me. I am Niha Visdaychlyiosun-kaian, Lady of Anuryn! Please, call me Niha; that will do nicely. I embrace all of you, and welcome you to our fair city!"

Before any of the explorers had a chance to speak, the energetic princess grabbed the blushing songbird by the hands, emitting the fervor of a captivated infant.

"Come. My companions and I will place you into the attire of our culture!"

The wonders of Anuryn brought themselves to an unexplored surface. The adventurers were carried throughout the markets; purchases, conversations and smiles were bountiful, soaring through each heart. Objects they had never dreamt of made their way into their eyes; many kinds of food and drink were being passed around, and each form of nourishment struck great curiosity. However, their trip through the markets didn't last long; in a flash, the outsiders were whisked into dressing rooms, where transformations were going to occur. The location of their cocoons was right within the market's embrace; their exact location was hidden, due to the fact that the welcoming committee excitedly placed their new friends within them.

Several minutes elapsed before their transformations were complete, and the results knocked the wind out of all of them. Each of were carved into new entities, but their original auras were still intact. All of them felt as if they had been transformed into new individuals, for their appearances brought a great sense of shock. Reiji was placed into radiant attire that caused her to look like a scholar, K was given the look of a reckless adventurer, Suguru was Reiji's accompaniment into the scholarly world, and Hiroshi could have easily been described as K's apprentice. Ryuichi was placed into a simple outfit, but it gave off the bold courage of a young lion. Tatsuha Uesugi fell into K and Hiroshi's sense of adventure; all three of them would have made a perfect team.

There were two individuals left, and both of them possessed the most stunning transformations. Eiri Yuki, Japan's beloved novelist, no longer had the look of a sophisticated writer about him; he carried the intoxicating, dark sense of a secretive swordsman. His attire was black, and it was a pretty tight fit, but it failed to annoy its wielder. It was an immaculate highlight to his physique, which was already a deadly weapon; he now had a wildfire about him, one that made him a force to be reckoned with. At first, his transformation caused him to feel strange, like a wolf that had been tossed into an inhospitable region...but his initial reaction was instantly wiped out by the birth of a miracle. Something was only a few inches in front of him, and that 'something' caused his mouth to **_drop _**for the very first time.

Out of all the transformations, Shuichi Shindou's was, by far, the most breathtaking. The Anurynian princess (who was still beaming with excitement) had described him as an 'ethereal being', and now he was holding pristine light to those descriptions. His pink hair had been turned into an ocean of starlight; golden starlight had been sprinkled into it. His attire made him look as if he had just made his descent from the heavens, and there was a mesmerizing fragrance about him, one that put the essence of cherry blossoms to shame. The fragrance was phenomenally beautiful, so beautiful that it was practically intoxicating-

"_**YEAH! COME TO DADDY, SHU-CHAN!"**_

Three events occurred simultaneously.

An ecstatic Ryuichi Sakuma leapt upon the drowning songbird-

-the songbird cringed in horror-

-and the songbird's lover delivered a devastating blow to the 'attacker'.

"_**Back off, Ryu. He's MINE, remember?"**_

Eiri Yuki's tone caused the songbird's embarrassment to soar beyond description. The novelist was **_stunned _**by his appearance; his eyes were filled with immeasurable awe. At the moment, they were also filled with anger. He had absolutely **_no _**desire to share his lover with anyone.

Suguru Fujisaki (who actually had a smile upon his face) looked in Shuichi's direction, his fatherly eyes beaming with warm shock. "Well, what did you expect?" he asked his friend gently, laughing. "You **_do _**look stunning. You even knocked the wind out of _me."_

Reiji went next, looking as if she had just seen the most beautiful eclipse.

"Same here! I've never seen you look so pretty, Shuichi!"

"Huh. You'd be eaten alive if you went back to Tokyo like that." Tatsuha added, bearing the light of a hungry lion within his eyes. That increased the songbird's embarrassment, which was already at an unbelievably high level. Bad Luck's vocalist had never been so embarrassed before in **_his life; _**his innocent, sweet eyes were filled with immoderate shyness. He took Yuki by the arm, his soft eyes radiant with childlike fear. His plea for comfort was answered by an ardent squeeze, and a gentle kiss.

"Don't worry. I've got you."

* * *

He was a personification of perfection, even though he was an entity of evil. His long hair was drenched in immaculate moonlight, his black eyes were tinged with the mists of an everlasting night, and his skin was creamy enough to shame the smoothest buttermilk. Every piece of him was perfectly placed; each strand of hair was flawless, and even his hands were creations of smooth elegance.

Every inch of his perfection was tainted by **_evil..._**

_**...and that evil was about to explode within the world of Anuryn.**_

The identity of his mate was now clear-

_And he was ready to dominate his chosen territory.

* * *

_

-Mweh heh heh. I enjoy writing about the secret entity; he's a lot of fun. He's going to have a really big part in our adventure...hee hee hee...


	6. Haven

Hi! Welcome to 'Haven', the next entry in our tale of true love. I'm happy to announce that the arrival in Anuryn went well; I was really worried about the descriptions, but I think I did okay! I created a path, but I left the true visual work to my readers. I think it's a lot of fun to help readers use their imaginations!

The journey is just about to heat up. Please relax and enjoy 'Angel's Heart'; all readers are welcome! Thank you very much for reading!

* * *

_Theme of 'Haven': Dearly Beloved of Kingdom Hearts OST, Fake Wings of .hack OST, Mystical Princess by Masashi Hamauzu

* * *

_

Friendship was the easiest gift to pass around; that was a firm belief among the people of Anuryn. The advent of outsiders had only occurred several minutes ago, but the pure magic of Anuryn was already clear. The explorers were basking among the unexplored warmth, which was ripe with the essence of pristine daylight. The people of Anuryn were youthful, and even though they were in the midst of night, their hearts were exuding unreserved happiness. Individuals of all ages, young and old, were lost among laughter; not a single resident was willing to tie themselves to weariness.

The night was young, filled with the evanescent luminosity of starlight. The city truly looked as if it had been torn from a young dream, for it emitted the true qualities of a child's wishes. The people were content; all of them were practically dancing throughout the stars. The skies were peaceful, and the winds were just as content as they were. The markets, which were the current locations of the explorers, were no different from amusement parks, even though business was being conducted. The explorers were being led through the ropes of the markets, and every sight ignited childlike excitement within them.

Anuryn's princess, who went by the name of 'Niha', became attached to the group in a flash. Like a mother drawn to a pack of children, she embraced the explorers with open arms and an enthusiastic smile. At the moment, her 'children' were exploring the realms of the market, and she was leading two of her 'children' through the blissful night's aura. Eiri Yuki and Shuichi Shindou (who was still burning under endless flames of embarrassment) were in her arms, absorbing the contents of the new world. Niha was the perfect teacher; she was a free spirit, lost among swift winds of adventure. One could have said that she was taking a walk through Anuryn for the very first time, for her excitement was that great. She had taken a shine to both lovers, since the radiance of true love was a blessing among her culture, and wanted to become a close friend to both of them.

The other members of the group were embarking on their own journeys, but there was nothing to fear. They had received instructions to meet within the palace halls; the Anurynian princess was going to introduce them to her palace, and the other member of the royal family; her father. None of them knew anything about her father, but one thing was certain. He was, without a doubt, a **_very _**friendly individual; his daughter had enough kindness for two million people.

The princess was witnessing the massive beauty of an immortal bond, but there was another bond within its first stages. The bond was between Ryuichi Sakuma and Tatsuha Uesugi, the two mischievous 'bandits'. Both of them had become popular among Anurynians within a short amount of time; they instilled themselves as comedians within the society, courtesy of their ability to bring a smile to anyone's face. They were in the midst of a jovial transaction; two Anurynians were offering them small snacks, which could have been passed off as pieces of art. Even the smallest object was a grand masterpiece; detail was certainly handled well within their world. Tatsuha and Ryuichi skyrocketed to popularity due to one fact; there was romance blossoming between them, and Anuryn celebrated the existence of love. They were given the treatment of celebrities; encouragement, smiles and embraces were tossed out as beauteous raindrops, glimmering under the starlit sky.

The sky of Anuryn was filled with a phenomenal, surreal aura. It was a perpetual ocean, composed of a celestial abyss. Blues and purples were soaring throughout the heavens, but silver was also in the mixture, and that gave the sky a fervent spark of magic. One could have said that Anuryn was immersed in water, for the sky bore a great resemblance to an ocean's surface; it was beautiful enough to disgrace all man-made materials. Anuryn's skill never failed to shimmer with beauty, but there was something different on the current night. The stars seemed to possess a great amount of happiness, and the sands seemed to be laughing with joy. The city was happy to be in the presence of two lovers, two individuals of the outside world.

Shuichi Shindou was still drowning under embarrassment, and there seemed to be no way out. Before their arrival, his shyness had kept itself at a fervent level, but thanks to his transformation, it was now at an excruciating level. His face was red enough to shame fire; he felt as if it had become permanently red. The transformation he had taken was not his only problem, however. He was still wrestling with the unknown, indescribable emotion burning within him, the very thing that had given birth to the dragon called 'writer's block'. He wasn't near Eiri Yuki (the novelist was on the right side of Lady Niha), but the novelist's presence sent thousands of shockwaves through him. The emotion grew at an inexplicable rate; it was practically soaring at the speed of light. The attention he was receiving from his new friends wasn't helping much; they were showering him in love, treating him as if he were an emperor.

He and his lover were in the front of the jewelry department, taking a tour of Anurynian's jewelry. The smallest pieces were empyrean masterpieces; bracelets, necklaces and rings each glimmered with their own resplendence, looking as if they had been crafted within the blue heavens. Yuki's eyes were either on Niha or the merchandise, even though he bore the fire of a ravenous lion. His lover truly looked as if he had made a descent from the stars; Shuichi had been beautiful before, but his makeover sent all comprehension over the edge. He felt as if he were only inches away from a living, breathing angel.

Seconds flew by at the speed of light. The expiration of fifteen seconds brought about the presentation of a striking pendant, which was offered to Shuichi. It knocked the wind out of the songbird in mere seconds; it was an effervescent piece, radiant with the beauty of a million diamonds. Niha (who had become immensely fond of the vocalist) took the stunned songbird's hands and scanned the piece.

"_Mach'su weilah! _It's an Ariya flower pendant. These flowers are rare within our world, and _here's something else. _They are our symbols of purity and joy! Truly they are wondrous treasures!"

Shuichi exchanged a glance with Yuki, who sent him a warm smile in return. The novelist sent a childlike wave of curiosity to the merchants, who detected a question within his silent eyes. One merchant, a chubby male with long silver hair, decided to answer that question with a proud smile.

"My friend, your mate is worthy of our finest treasure. He is evidently an entity of pure light, and we wish the greatest of happiness upon _both of you."_

Shock pierced the novelist's eyes in the form of warmth. He had never been in the presence of such warm, friendly people before; he had only been within Anuryn for a few minutes, but he already felt as if he were connected to every family within its stitches. Perhaps if he _had _been born as an Anuryn, the tragedy with his first love **_never _**would have taken place...and he wouldn't have closed himself off to the entire world.

Before he had a chance to release his appreciation, Niha beat him to the finish line. Like Shuichi, he was fond of the childlike princess...and looked upon her as a sibling. There was something about her warm heart, something that drew others to it.

"That pendant is certainly worthy of your presence, _mei'ha. _Wear it freely."

"Ummm..." the songbird said shyly, almost afraid of his own voice. Drowning in embarrassment wasn't a pleasant experience; he appreciated the kindness of Anuryn, and had been in the middle of attention before (being a prominent vocalist brought him a huge fanbase), but everything he had experienced within the past was **_nothing _**compared to the present. "What does 'mei'ha' mean?" he asked the smiling Niha, his violet eyes shining with confusion. "Everyone's calling me that..."

Niha's crystal blue eyes glimmered with the light of a disgusted schoolteacher, but the disgust was far from venomous. It was playful and innocent, and it shimmered with the thirst for more adventure. Soft laughter drew itself from her lips, and it drifted into the calm air on starlight. "Why, it means 'dawn' in your language." she explained, pretending to be a conceited sovereign. "It's a term of endearment we use. For beings of pristine splendor."

_**Waaah! I've never been so EMBARASSED before in my life!**_

Yuki took his blushing vocalist's hands, squeezed them, then gazed into his wide eyes for a moment. There was a smile upon the novelist's face, one that held unfathomable pride and inexpressible affection. Under a starlit ocean, both of them gazed at each other for another eternity; one heart was drenched in immeasurable shyness, the other was soaked in warm bliss. Golden raindrops fell upon them as they slowly drew themselves into an embrace, which transformed into another passionate kiss. The merchants exchanged smiles with Niha, who felt as if she were in the middle of a blooming miracle...and their eyes fell into Anuryn's skies, which were now filled with an incommunicable depth of beauty. None of them had ever seen such bliss within their skies before, and they knew why it had come about; the two lovers were causing it.

Minutes passed, and the expiration of five minutes brought about the end of the kiss. Shuichi, who was still burning under an endless cascade of embarrassment, gently drew himself away from his lover...who had just taken a dive into the same waves of fire. For the very first time, Yuki's heart was pounding upon shyness; he felt like a tiny schoolchild, approaching his first love...

Niha's affectionate eyes bounced upon both of them, then she grabbed Yuki's hands. Her behavior was captivating to the both of them; she acted as if she only had twenty four hours left to live, but at the same time, she knew she had all of the time she needed to enjoy life's offerings. "Come!" she said, her eyes glimmering with joy. "I wish to show the two of you something!"

Shuichi sent a shy, gentle 'goodbye' to the merchants; Yuki placed his attention on Niha, who was beyond excited about their next destination. She took both of the arms and began a mad dash through the markets; keeping up with her was almost impossible, but at the same time, it was a lot of fun. She truly was a being of beauty; her svelte physique was soaked in translucent moonlight, her blue eyes were filled with childlike happiness, and her silver hair was a joyous banner. To the novelist, her enthusiasm was a bit strange, but only because he had never encountered such strength before. "Where are you taking us _now?" _he asked in one of his custom-made tones, which made her laugh.

"Oh, don't worry. You'll find out for yourselves soon!"

Their next destination was evidently a very precious place to Niha; something that was apparently a piece of her palace. That little fact made itself clear to both lovers, but nothing prepared them for what she had in store. Five minutes elapsed before she brought them to a halt, and they immediately realized something; they were no longer among the transactions of the market. Somehow, they were in the midst of another area, an area that belonged to Anuryn's palace. The speed of their flight was far from their minds, however; their new friend had something up her sleeve, and she was immensely excited. The three of them spent a few seconds in silence, then the princess spoke with the excitement of a secretive child.

"We've arrived at the _Arana Kat'suaia, _the Haven of Heart."

"What's the-"

Niha placed a finger over the blushing vocalist's lips, bearing a motherly smile. "Sssh!" she snapped playfully, and gently took him by the hand. "I want the _both _of you to follow me."

Once again, the two lovers exchanged glances with each other, both of their faces filled with serene excitement. After they shared a moment of silence, they followed the sovereign into her chosen destination. It was an enormous establishment; like every other building within Anuryn, it was crafted from white silk stone, which was simple yet breathtaking. A blanket of silence was covering it, which it gave it the aura of a sacred shrine...which wasn't too far from the mark.

The three of them entered the haven, and all three of them were immediately greeted by darkness. However, the existence of darkness was not alone; there were incandescent stars of blue radiance, the melodies of water fountains, and flocks of golden fireflies. The crystal-clear fragrance of water was within the calm, tranquil air, and it bestowed a miraculous beauty upon the haven. Within a second, the flocks of fireflies transformed themselves into pink, iridescent butterflies, and the stars took on their previous shade of gold. Yuki brought Shuichi close to him, evidently stunned by the haven's resplendence...and pleased with the atmosphere. His heartbeat melted its way into Shuichi's heart...and it brought a smile to his gentle features.

_His heartbeat...it's so calm. It's cute!  
_

Once again, Niha smiled at both of them, her face beaming with the warmth of a doting mother. She took both of them by the hands, her eyes shining with affection. "This is where lovers confess their love for each other." she explained happily. "The elements of this haven sense the strength of their bond, and their reaction tells the couple how long their bond will last. Now, I want the _both _of you to close your eyes."

In the fashion of an observant teacher, she folded her arms and stepped away from the two of them. Both of them gazed into each other's eyes for a moment, and then...both pairs of eyes closed under blankets of serenity. Arms found warm, comfortable havens...and hearts fell into immortal twilight...as the peaceful melody of water found its way into their hearts. Both of their hearts met and sank into their souls, filled with the thirst for an everlasting dawn...one heart snuggled against the other, smiling with profuse happiness...

An eternity elapsed before Niha spoke. Her voice was gentle, like a beam of sunlight.

"Now, _open your eyes."_

Their eyes exposed themselves to the haven once again, but they immediately realized something. They were in the midst of a newborn utopia, one that was composed of incalculable magnificence. The crystallized waters were at their brightest, radiant with everlasting bliss...pink petals were falling from the skies, drenched in blankets of golden starlight...the walls were drenched in golden happiness...

Niha's voice was warm, serene and **_happy._**

"This proves it. The two of you were _destined _to be together."

Her words were delivered in a simple manner, one that made everything **_obvious. _**

_**It was as if they should have been together at birth.**_

Shuichi's soft, passionate eyes fell into the warm eyes of Eiri Yuki. Both of their hearts melted into each other...and they slowly fell into another kiss, another blissful dream...

It was a soft, clear dream...one filled with warmth, passion and happiness. They cradled each other, their arms coursing over a sea of true light...and their hearts pounding upon indescribable ecstasy. They brushed each other, caressed each other, drank each other...in the midst of pure starlight...

"Yuki..."

His voice was nothing more than a whisper, a frail, delicate whisper...

"I...I love you...I love you...so much..."

No words came from the novelist. He answered him in another way, with a method that surpassed the power of vocabulary. He pierced the lips of his blushing songbird with a ferocity that knocked the wind out of him...

"You're...always so warm...I love you..."

In the midst of Anuryn's sacred haven, Eiri Yuki and Shuichi Shindou silently confessed their love for each other.

* * *

-Our new friend, the mysterious entity, is about to make his entrance. Our little party-wrecker is about to enter the scene, and let me assure you; Yuki's **_not _**going to take kindly to him.

I'm wondering; should I make a chapter on our extra characters (Ryuichi and Tatsuha, for example), or should I keep the main story in the front of my plans? I'm open to all suggestions, so please feel free to share! Thank you very much for reading my story! Thank you!

I hope all of you are enjoying the world of Anuryn! I'm doing the best I can, and I hope all of my readers are happy with my work. Thank you, once again! Please take care and enjoy your stay here!


	7. Wildfire

HEY HOWDY HEY TO EVERYONE OUT THERE! Welcome to 'Wildfire', the next entry of 'Angel's Heart'! Things are about to kick themselves into high gear, and so I'm really **_really _**excited! For the tenth thousandth time, I want to give all of my wonderful readers a nice big 'THANK YOU'! I'm having so much fun with this!

I just gave a big 'welcome' to a new reader! Whee! I know it was for 'Lunar Reflection', but it's always fun to welcome new readers! Yay!

Please enjoy the rest of my Gravitation work! Suu! Mweh heh heh...

* * *

_Theme of 'Wildfire': 'Life or Death' of Xenosaga Ep.1 OST, 'Kokoro (Instrumental)' of Xenosaga Ep.1 OST

* * *

_

The gales of night were sweeping through Anuryn. The city, which had been crafted in the hands of dreamers, was fast asleep; all Anurynians were floating in the midst of serene slumber, with the exception of the sovereigns. The skies were at peace, floating amongst a sea of unborn promises. They were portraits of pure excitement a few hours ago, but now they were no different from calm parents; affectionate, proud and hopeful. They still bore a resemblance to an ocean's surface; one could have easily placed fish within Anuryn's skies...but silvery white clouds were visible, and they were silently holding vigils over their world.

The explorers were fast asleep, covered in blankets of rich happiness. Their new companion, Princess Niha, had introduced them to the King of Anuryn, and as soon as the joyous event came to a close, all of them immediately seized the opportunity to rest. As expected, the king took a great shine to all of them (Niha was evidently a bearer of his heart's magic), and sent warm embraces throughout the entire group. Ryuichi and Tatsuha were instantly adopted by the fatherly individual, but the sovereign became deeply fond of Anuryn's blessed couple; Shuichi and Yuki. Niha's father was amused by the lovers' personalities; one had the passion of a child, and the other carried the maturity of a mysterious wolf. Both of them had a great set of differences, but they were clearly made for each other; that fact made itself perfectly clear to the King of Anuryn.

When all introductions came to a close, he took his daughter by the hand and spoke with the warmth of a true, loving companion.

"_Dasuk ka'tahna mircahn, aya'ka."_

_The heavens have blessed you with fine friends, daughter._

Anuryn's silver moon was high in the sky, covered in robes of pristine rapture. The moon's world was sleeping, yes, but it was still filled with everlasting beauty...and it had a desire to witness its beauty. Like the sovereigns of Anuryn, the silver orb had the heart of a parent and the soul of a friend. It was warm, infinitely beautiful and kind, radiant with the gentle hands of sunlight. Small rivers of translucent light were making their descents from its body, and each beam fell upon the world as a cascade. Flocks of fireflies were still within the calm air; their tiny bodies were silently bouncing within clear sheets, filled with the wishes of a thousand hearts. The world of Anuryn was nothing more than a dream, one that was evanescent...but one that would last forever, unhindered by the burdens of an outside life. Two individuals were lost among the dream's beauty, drifting through slumber on the wings of crystal clear water. Arms were shielding glowing havens, and smiles were beaming through the night's clear gales. Both hearts were lost in cascades of dreams, smiling...

They had made their departure from Anuryn's haven several hours ago, but they felt as if their visit had just occurred seconds ago. Both of them were still lost among the haven's beauty, which had them blissfully trapped within a fairy tale. Blankets of white silk were protecting both dreamers from cold, stars were holding their silent vigils...and fountains were sending soft melodies into their ears. One heart was tucked under its mate, covered in immeasurable warmth...**_smiling._**

Slumber drifted between them, and carried them through dreams for two eternities. The end of those eternities brought about the arrival of a beloved routine; the lovers opened their eyes, gazed into each other's hearts, then greeted the advent of dawn with gentle caresses. Soft, warm kisses pierced golden skin, whispers melted into ears...hands caressed acres of warm dreams, and promises silently gave birth to themselves. Eyes met for seconds at a time, filled with insatiable thirst...filled with the desire for immortality. Gentle blue flames coursed between the two of them...as they took another journey through the realm of unexplored love.

Time drew itself by them, but it carried no meaning. Within their utopia, the elements of the outside world had no meaning. Both hearts were in the midst of unbreakable silence, drenched in transcending warmth. After another eternity, a pair of eyes closed themselves...and its wielder was happily lost among the winds of happiness. The eyes were none other than Eiri Yuki's: Shuichi Shindou's eyes kept themselves upon the resplendence of their dream. His youthful gemstones absorbed every inch of his mate's face...and his heart blissfully gave itself to the novelist's soul. He gazed upon his lover's silent smile for an eternity, his own smile beaming with unbridled happiness.

_**His emotions were strong...unbelievably strong.**_

He sent another ardent, silent kiss to his lover...and felt rapture course through his bloodstream. He absorbed the scent of his mate's body, the scent of his hair...

Whispers drew themselves from his heart, and drifted into the air.

"I...I...love you..."

The expiration of five minutes carried the vocalist beyond the room. His heart was overflowing with immoderate love, and so his body was unable to rest. He placed his back against the guest room door, ready to explode from the happiness flowing within him...

"Yuki..."

_My dear, sweet Yuki...I love him...so much..._

_**A second later, horror shot right through him...**_

_**...as a cold pair of hands wrapped themselves around him.**_

_**A tongue crept down the back of his neck...the cold hands caressed him...**_

_**Fear paralyzed him, rendered him unable to speak...**_

**_The hands squeezed him...devoured him in a matter of seconds..._**

"Hello, dear angel."

* * *

-Mweh heh heh. Sorry, but I gots to go. Life's calling me, and it won't shut up! Talk about high maitenance..please enjoy the cliffy! Mweh heh heh! The action will continue within the **_next _**chapter! **_Our friend has finally made it out of the shadows!_**


	8. Sudden Assault

HI HI HI HI HI! Welcome to the continuation of 'Wildfire', 'Sudden Assault'! WHEE! I've only been away for a day, but I'm sooo excited! I couldn't be happier right now, and it's all because of the nicey nice reviews I've received! I've gotten so many, it's almost hard to keep up! Whee! Mweh heh heh...

Thanks to all of you, I'm proud of the cliffy I made for the last chapter (even if it was unintended)! Please enjoy the beginning of the adventure! Thank you for reading, and welcome to my new readers!

* * *

_Theme of 'Sudden Assault': 'Life or Death' of Xenosaga Ep.1 OST

* * *

_

Cold winds struck Eiri Yuki as whips, harbingers of rigid destruction. The warm, peaceful haven he shared with his mate was now cold, filled with a silent blizzard of darkness. His lover's absence failed to rouse him for a few moments, but as soon as his body became a mass of ice, his eyes exposed themselves to the world's silence. The fear that had tormented him during their flight returned to him, filled with him unshakable pain and ignited a vague train of thought. Millions of hidden visions pierced his heart, each of them screaming with an aura of chaos...

A second passed before his entire world **_crashed._**

"_**YUKIIII!"**_

Fear crashed into his heart and tore it apart, bearing the claws of a bloodthirsty werewolf. Ice seized his heart and caused it to freeze, locking it within a silent realm of pain. Everything within him froze; his bloodstream transformed itself into a river of black ice, his eyes plummeted into eternal snow, and his skin lost every inch of its color. The world crumbled right before his very eyes...nothing was real anymore...

_**Shuichi wasn't near him...**_

His visit to the obscure realm of silence was only a few seconds long. His body kicked itself into high gear; whenever Shuichi encountered danger, he took on the vigilance of a protective lion. His protective instincts had ignited themselves several times in the past; Shuichi had encountered a wide variety of dangers in his presence, and he never failed to shield his beloved songbird. A brisk wind of fear pushed the novelist from their utopia...as the vigilance of an urgent lion overwhelmed his very soul. His eyes took on the spirit of courage as he dashed beyond their bedroom door, bearing a passionate desire to find his precious songbird.

He found only **_silence._**

The world began to spin, and it caused him to become lightheaded. His eyes scanned his surroundings, but they were unable to locate the missing angel. Fear roared within his bloodstream, which caused his body to deprive itself of all strength...silence tormented him, ate away at him...**_killed him..._**

"_**Yuki! Hey, Yuki!"**_

The other explorers were out in the open; the scream had pierced their ears, and it brought them from their peaceful slumber. All of them were carrying portraits of fear within their eyes; each portrait was unique, filled with the spices of their own hearts...but the depth of fear was the same for each wielder. It was strong, fervent and impenetrable...

Hiroshi Nakano (who had been placed into a room with Suguru Fujisaki) continued to speak to the horrified novelist, his eyes radiant with moonlit apprehension. The peace that had been within the palace was now gone; in its place was 'pain'. The very walls of the palace were stained with the darkness; their pure white auras were no longer visible. The guitarist of Bad Luck felt as if he were in the middle of a horror movie, trapped within a house he couldn't escape from...

"_**Hey! Where's Shu?"**_

The ending of that question ignited the reign of chaos. Fearful voices streamed into the air, each of them bearing their own questions; the explorers were locked within apprehension, and none of them were comfortable with it. All of them had heard the songbird's scream, and his absence was wreaking massive havoc upon them; one could have said that they carried a great resemblance to worried parents, searching for a child that had separated himself during a field trip. The chaos only increased Eiri Yuki's fear...

_**...his Shu-chan wasn't anywhere near him...**_

"_Shuichi was with you, wasn't he?"_ Reiji asked over the torrent of confusion, her vibrant voice filled with the concern of a lioness. Her worried eyes were the eyes of a fearful mother; she loved Shuichi as if he were her brother, and bore no desire to see him trapped in pain. She received an answer that increased his apprehension; the novelist was evidently clueless about the entire situation, and wanted the night to return to the way it was; beautiful, sacred and peaceful, radiant with a sonata of love...

"_**For some unknown reason, he decided to leave without a word! I'm just as clueless as you guys!"**_

Just a few seconds ago...the two of them were traveling through unparalleled rapture. The songbird was in his arms, smiling...kisses were raining upon them, whispers were melting into their hearts...tears of happiness were shed within crystal blue promises...

_**...and now his songbird was missing.**_

_**The dream was over.**_

The scream echoed within his ears, piercing his heart the way a rock eliminated a window. It played itself over and over again...**_his head wouldn't stop its spinning.._**

"_**YUKIII!"**_

A tsunami of cries shattered the cold air. The hearts of the explorers, which were filled with happiness a few hours ago, soared into a chasm of immeasurable fear. Fearful glances were passed around, hearts were given to the distressed Eiri Yuki...fear consumed everything in its path...

Seconds tore themselves from the stream of time. The expiration of fifteen seconds brought an advent that allayed their fears for a moment. It was the advent of Lady Niha, the Anurynian that had made her way into their hearts within a short amount of time. However, their relief died as soon as they saw her facial expression; she bore the look of a fretful wolf mother, one that had been separated from her cub. A second of excruciating silence elapsed between all of them, then she spoke with a high amount of tension. She looked as if she had been dragged through the darkest blizzard; something tremendous had occurred within her throne room...

"_Pei'chas, _I **_must _**ask you to return to your rooms."

An ocean of 'whys' split into the air, but Eiri Yuki's voice dominated every wave. The novelist's eyes were filled with incalculable fear, and they pulled the princess into them; her heart and soul went out to her new friend, for she carried an enormous amount of affection for the two lovers...

_**The look on Yuki's face was tearing her apart.**_

"Lady Niha...something happened to my..."

_Dizziness and nausea struck him, rendered him unable to continue. His head refused to ceases it spinning, his heart refused to cease its screaming...it was as if it wanted to escape from its prison, but it could find no way out... _

_Tears tore themselves from his eyes...as his heart soared back to his lover's precious smile..._

"_Yuki...I love you..."_

He fell to his knees, shivering...unable to endure the unexplained absence of his lover. His heart cried out for the vocalist, craved the vocalist's warmth...

A gentle hand fell upon his trembling shoulder, and warm eyes drifted into his sorrowful ones. They were the eyes of a loving sovereign, one that bore great devotion for her companions. Chaos was running throughout her kingdom; she was well aware of that...but her heart refused to abandon its bright stars. She sent a comforting kiss to the shivering novelist's forehead, and then her calm voice drifted into the air. Her melodious voice was still radiant with fear, but it still had its serene qualities about it.

"Listen to me, _airi'nu. _I will do **_whatever I can _**to retrieve your heart's mate. I stake my life on that. I'll do whatever I can to restore him to you."

_**The end of her promise brought about the birth of an eternal bond.**_

Eiri Yuki's eyes were canvases of emotion; pure fear and sorrow were coursing through them. Both jewels were drenched in the core of sadness, filled with the hunger for peace's return...he bore a great resemblance to a heartbroken animal, one that had lost the will to live. Just a few moments ago he had been among a sea of tranquility; now he was trapped in the claws of pain, drowning...

Niha took his hands and squeezed them, her eyes filled with newborn determination. Wildfires of love bloomed within her eyes, and her heart emitted immortal compassion. She had no tolerance for **_anyone _**that interrupted love's course; that fact was as clear as Anuryn's water. Her voice, which had been exuberant at the start of their journey, was now firm and powerful; no different from the voice of a goddess.

"Do not fear, dear one. I promise you; I **_will _**find Shuichi."

Tatsuha (who was at his brother's side, exuding the concern of a father) spoke to her softly, feeling like a toddler that had been thrown into a foreign situation. "My lady," he said gently, his eyes glimmering in the darkness. "what's going on? What's happening?"

_**Cold, dark fear shattered all of their hearts within a second. Screams continued to pierce their ears...their hearts continued to pound against their cages...**_

"Trouble is brewing." Niha said sternly, bringing Yuki back to his feet. "Evil forces have awakened within our world, and they have brought the stench of destruction."

The playful Ryuichi Sakuma exchanged a glance with the fearful Hiroshi, truly feeling as if he were in the midst of an inexplicable horror film. Within a matter of seconds, their dream vacation had turned into a horrific nightmare; all of them felt as if they were in the midst of Armageddon...

"You've **_got _**to be kiddin' me..." the member of Nittle Grasper said, his eyes filled with fervent disbelief. Niha's gentle, ethereal gemstones placed themselves onto his.

"Unfortunately, I am _not _'kidding'. Foul creatures are wreaking havoc upon our palace. I have a feeling that their leader is responsible for your companion's disappearance, but nothing is for certain. My friends, I **_must _**assist my father; we **_have _**to protect you, **_and _**our people."

Her eyes fell into Yuki's fearful ones again, and her heart soared out to him...filled with unbreakable loyalty...

"Rest assured, I will utilize every ounce of my power to retrieve your mate."

Without another word, the warrior vanished into the cold darkness...which had once been golden sunlight. The remaining explorers exchanged fearful, apprehensive glances with each other...as excruciating silence tormented all of them...

The loyal Tatsuha broke the silence after three eternities, bearing a desire to comfort his brother. He squeezed the shivering novelist's shoulder, his childlike eyes filled with pristine optimism...

"Don't worry about a thing. If anyone can find your Shuichi, it's our pal Niha."

* * *

_**He was a bird that had been thrown into a cage.**_

He was trapped, lost within a world that offered no light or warmth. It was an empty world, a realm of infinite darkness...an abyss that smelled of pure **_evil..._**

Ravenous hands were coursing through him, piercing the sacred places that were only meant for his mate. Hot breath was raining upon him, heavy with horrifying lust...every inch of his body was pierced by a rapacious tongue...

Strength was not present in his delicate body. He possessed the desire to escape; his body was rejecting **_every _**move of its intruder, and his heart was screaming for freedom's warmth. Oceans were making their descent from his eyes...whimpers were drawing themselves from his heart...

"**_Stop...please stop...leave me alone...pl-"_**

The mouth of his captor eliminated the rest of his words. Venomous lips buried themselves within him...as his body continued to shiver...

_**Yuki...**_

**_Tears poured from Shuichi's eyes...his heart continued to scream in pain..._**

_The intruder's hands devoured every part of him, **squeezed **every part of him..._

"_Please let me go...d-don't..."_

_**Pain struck the sobbing songbird...as soon as the entity's hands fell onto the center of his thighs.**_

The entity's eyes were cold, black and soulless...paintings of true darkness...

_**...paintings of true evil.**_

_**His voice was soft and elegant...but it was far from pleasant.**_

"I see that your heart belongs to another."

Fear exploded within Shuichi's body...his captor **_squeezed _**him...

"It looks like I've got something to take care of. Don't worry, my angel. I'll have your heart **_soon...VERY SOON."_**

A tsunami of pain consumed the delicate angel. His captor's body dominated his...as his whole world fell into a realm of black sorrow...

_**One last thought crossed his mind before darkness overwhelmed him.**_

_Yuki...I love you.._


	9. First Strike

HI HI HI, HI TIMES INFINITY TO ALL OF MY FRIENDS! Welcome to another entry in our tale of true love! I hope all of you enjoyed the previous cliffys, because we're about to kick things into super high gear! The adventure is about to begin; the battle for true love is now in effect! Where will things go next? Stay tuned to find out!

Thanks to my precious friends, Dejichan and Bloody-May, I've been inspired to create another chapter today. So please sit back, enjoy and have a lot of fun! Thank you for supporting me!

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_Theme of 'First Strike': 'Battlecry' of Samurai Champloo OST, 'Simple and Clean' of Kingdom Hearts OST. The author would like to dedicate this chapter to Bloody-May, who was a huge source of inspiration for this chapter. The author would like to tell that reviewer this; you've REALLY made a difference. Thank you for befriending me.

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_

Human kind had a wide variety of enemies; emotions and diseases were horrendous, annihilative blades that bore a lot of power. They could attack in several different forms, and in many different levels. Fear, in particular, was one of humanity's greatest foes. It had the ability to conceal itself within a small breeze, but it could also strike out as a blizzard. It was attacking several hearts in the form of a thunderstorm, wreaking severe havoc upon its unfortunate victims.

None of them were comfortable with its presence. They were huddled together in a bedroom, seeking comfort, seeking relief...but not a single shred of serenity could be found. They were all trapped, locked inside of a cage in the midst of black pain...and the presence of serenity was not in effect. For hours, they were able to wander blissfully through a dream; now they were all shivering, suffering from fear's sudden assault. Each of them were enduring the pain in their own ways; Tatsuha Uesugi was forming attempts to comfort his brother, Ryuichi Sakuma had the attitude of a fearful preschool teacher, Claude K. Winchester had the aura of a vigilant chieftain, and Reiji had the concern of a worried mother about her. All of them were froze in silence, even though several of them had the desire to speak.

They were no longer within a dream. They were all trapped in the midst of a nightmare, one that had no ending to it. All of them felt as if they were in the center of a waiting room, desperately waiting for the release of a loved one...and they hated the excruciating tension. However, Eiri Yuki was in the greatest pain; he looked as if he had just lost his soul, and was several seconds away from insanity. One could have said that he was a parent waiting for the return of a child, for his eyes were filled with heart-rending fear. His brother was doing his best to comfort him, but his attempts crumbed as soon as they were formed, for he was trapped within the same kind of tension.

The aura of a horror movie was still present. Each of them felt as if they truly were trapped within a submerged cage, waiting for an inevitable death...waiting for imminent destruction to rise. Tatsuha's hand was in his brother's hand...all of them were drowning under waves of intense silence...

Several eternities elapsed before their Anurynian friend, Niha, made her appearance. Once again, her advent failed to stir up relief; she looked as if she had experienced the worst amount of pain, and was evidently weary. Her silver hair, which had been drenched in childlike elegance, was now all over her face. Her crystallized eyes were still beauteous, radiant oceans...but they were crammed with apprehension. Unfortunately, she was drowning in the same ocean of fear...but she carried details about it. She looked as if she had failed someone...

_**...it was as if she had failed to keep a promise...**_

Yuki's eyes fell into hers as soon as she stepped into the room, but his surge of anticipation died in an instant; her face brought him no relief. Other fearful eyes fell onto her like lightning bolts, but she was unable to soften **_any _**fear. An excruciating moment of silence elapsed between them before she spoke; she brushed hair from her eyes and released the tension flowing through her.

"I am sorry, my friends. I was unable to retrieve your companion."

The sovereign grasped Yuki's hands once again, and gave them a motherly squeeze. "I'm afraid I have failed you, _amei'tu." _she said sadly, her voice striking sorrow into his trembling heart. Words erupted within the novelist's heart, but before he could release them, the fatherly K spoke. His gentle, benevolent voice met Niha's calm voice with flawless serenity.

"What happened out there?"

Her eyes fell into his, creating thoughts of a saddened lioness. "Our fair empire has been overwhelmed by dark magic." she said fiercely, her eyes glowing with a heart-rending mixture of emotions. Her hands were still in Yuki's; she refused to let them go, for she truly felt as if she had failed him. "Black creatures invaded our kingdom...and now the waves of destruction are about. They have not left us; they carry the desire for domination."

Suguru's elegant, dignified voice was the next voice to reach her. It carried the apprehension of a troubled teacher, one that had lost his most precious student. "What happened to our Shuichi?" he asked the saddened sovereign, his eyes gleaming with the frailty of a parent. Niha's sorrowful heart went out to all of them; they all looked so worried, so frightened...

Rivers filled her soft eyes. Her hands were still holding Yuki's trembling hands; she gave them a squeeze, which emitted the concern of a disappointed mother. The sadness within his eyes soared beyond the heavens; he took on the fear of a frightened wolf, one that was about to have his body filled with holes. After another moment of excruciating silence, the novelist squeezed _her _hands and spoke. The mere sound of his voice brought tears to everyone's eyes.

"Listen. Shuichi means a **_lot _**to me. He's my air, my sun, my moon...**_my everything. _**I can't even think about _breathing _when he's in danger."

Starlight fell from his eyes and onto her hands...

"Tell me. What happened to my Shu-chan?"

She gave a gentle kiss to his forehead before she launched into an explanation.

"Your mate has been taken."

_**His heart made an attempt to depart from his mouth.**_

"_**Where?"**_

"I am not sure." Niha replied sadly, her eyes filled with pristine sorrow. She wrestled with two options for a moment; she could launch into the lengthy explanation, or cut right to the quick.

She went with the shorter explanation.

"Only a few things are certain; a sovereign of the past has revived himself...from the depths of evil. You see, our new 'friend' was once a beloved sovereign of our land...but he sold himself to immorality. He has returned to our fair world...as a deity of darkness."

"Okay, but where does _Shuichi _fall into this?" Tatsuha asked her urgently, uncomfortable with his brother's pain. The simple answer he received caused _all _of their hearts to come to a violent stop.

"He wanted a mate."

A cloud of emotions exploded within the room. Confusion, disgust and horror erupted within a matter of seconds; every explorer fell into a dark, cold chasm of tension...

The three eruptions were at their strongest in Yuki's eyes. The novelist looked absolutely horrified; it was as if he had been asked to burn each of his limbs off. Glances shot around, fear coursed its way through the room...

"_**Well, that fucking bastard snatched MINE!"**_

"I have one word for you; domination."

In many situations, words possessed great power. Niha's last word struck all of them in the form of a fatal spell; it immediately told them all one thing. **_Shuichi was in grave danger._**

In the midst of the abrupt, chaotic explosion, K took the chance to speak. In grave situations, he took on the role of a valiant leader; his time as an officer molded his leadership skills into perfection. His life as a father gave his heart a warm, soothing aura, and he never failed to shower his friends with it whenever they needed it. "Our new pal decided to snatch Shuichi for himself, eh?" he asked, his voice ripe with the anger of an offended father. Niha nodded in his direction, still holding onto Yuki's hands.

"I'm afraid so. And he's going to do **_whatever _**he can to conquer him."

Whenever Shuichi fell into the hands of danger, Yuki's defense systems shot off in an instant. However, those situations had never summoned severe reactions. With the completion of Niha's sentence came fury; his defense systems went in overdrive.

"**_If that son of a bitch touches him, I'll tear him apart! I swear I will!"_**

The novelist's anger sent sadness throughout the other hearts. Niha's heart fell into the deepest pain. She expected that type of reaction; she could easily sense his love for the missing songbird, and it shamed all comprehension. Unfortunately, his anger had no guidance at the moment; he wasn't even aware of the intruder's appearance, yet he could barely hold his rage in. The affectionate princess took her friend by the hands once again, bearing the desire to soften his wrath.

"_Aia'tu, _please lend your heart to me. I understand your pain, but you _must _listen. As of right now, you do not stand a chance against this great force. If you wish to rescue your stolen mate, you _must _gain the power to do so. Please, allow me to instruct you in our ways of the warrior."

Her eyes shot to the novelist's companions. Both jewels were filled with urgency, the type of urgency a mother usually carried in dire situations. "_All _of you should follow the proper guidance." she said to them gently, uncomfortable with their distress. Their visit to her homeland was now in ruin; that wasn't making her too happy. "Hearken to me now; I will lead all of you down the proper paths...so you will be able to defend yourselves."

A second passed, and Reiji's heart leapt from its imprisonment. That leap was due to a sudden entrance, which was created by a royal guard. All eyes shot to the guard immediately; it was a middle-aged male, one with an immensely pale face. He looked as if he were being hunted by a demon, and wanted to use every method of evasion to escape. His princess immediately launched into their dialect, and both Anurynians fell into a rapid conversation;

"_Shata! Meach sur yei'wah!"_

"_Kata! Arachana kil'deisur! Shu-rhina!"_

In a flash, she took Eiri Yuki by the arm and looked into his eyes. The urgency of the situation went sky-high; the essence of destruction flooded the room, and caused all of them to fall into intolerable tension. The novelist's fearful eyes melted into hers, filled with immeasurable fear...

"Come. The one responsible for your mate's disappearance is outside."

Hearts flew into the heavens, filled with unshakable distress. Fearful glances were exchanged, anger soared beyond the greatest skies...and silent promises were made. Tatsuha Uesugi saw the anger within his brother's eyes...and silently made a vow. He had never been close to Eiri in the past; the trip had presented him with new opportunities to strengthen family ties. His heart was now in the novelist's trembling soul; he wanted to protect his saddened sibling with his _life._

Departures were made in a matter of seconds. The group soared throughout the palace halls, driven by fear's greatest thunderstorm. During their flight, Ryuichi Sakuma exchanged a glance with the one his heart had a desire for.

"Some field trip _this _is. _This _is what happens when you separate yourself from the group!"

* * *

The skies of Anuryn were no longer ethereal paintings. Darkness was afoot, and it was quite abundant within the heavens. There wasn't a shred of happiness within Anuryn's stitches; every ounce of light had been replaced by black obscurity within seconds. Even the sands were cold and lifeless; every element within Anuryn was frozen, trapped within an iceberg of death. The markets were desolate wastelands, the fireflies were absent from their stations...and there wasn't a soul walking about the realm. The sacred, empyrean haven was now a barren wasteland, one that was on the brink of destruction. The small group became a part of Anuryn's transformation within minutes; as soon as they stepped out onto the black sands, they realized that their wondrous adventure had transformed itself into something bigger...something that would mold all of their lives permanently. None of them expected to fall into such a colossal situation, which made the situation even worse; all of them were animals within unknown, foreign environments.

There was one soul within the heavens; it was the one responsible for Anuryn's transformation. He was also responsible for the abrupt destruction of happiness. His appearance wasn't clear to Niha's companions, but she could see him well...and the very sight of him _disgusted _her. He was hovering within the blackened skies, bearing a demonic smile about his lips. To an untrained eye, he was a dignified, sophisticated warrior...but his demonic thirst was as plain as day. He was truly a spawn of evil, one that had a pair of black wings...

"_**Sinnu acht'ta gammat!"**_

Yuki looked into her eyes, bearing the confusion of a dehydrated fish. They were no longer bright, vibrant oceans of warmth; they were fiery, venomous and deadly blades, dipped in cobra poison...

**_She squeezed his arm, her eyes bearing fatal hatred. Her voice was no different._**

"The one you seek is before you."

Her voice pierced all of their hearts, and all eyes followed her words. Fear crashed into them within an instant as they absorbed the appearance of their new 'friend'; it was a human that had been molded in the sea of perfection. He was a middle-aged male, but his radiant features bestowed the aura of immortality upon him. There were **_no _**flaws about him; his silver hair, skin and eyes were breathtaking, filled with a fervent level of magnificence. He possessed a muscular physique, but at the same time, it was elegant and sleek, like the surface of silent water. His black wings, although evil, added an enchanting sense of fire to him; one could have easily fallen into his spell.

Silence bloomed within the group, and it was a type of silence they had never experienced before. It was beyond excruciating; there were no words to describe it. It was powerful enough to prevent them from breathing; they felt as if the smallest movement would shatter the earth's core. The entity's calm eyes burned into theirs...Yuki's eyes burned into the entity's face...

After an eternity, Niha placed urgent hands upon Tatsuha's shoulders. She broke the silence with her gentle, desperate voice.

"Shield your brother."

The young priest was unfamiliar with the situation at hand. He had never been in the middle of massive destruction before, and had no idea how to handle himself. One thing was certain, though; he was ready and willing to protect his brother, no matter what the cost was. Determination blossomed within his eyes as he took his brother by the shoulders...

"Kiata. Sur'chasa ianao-no-mewei, Niha."

_**The softhearted sovereign rejected the cold greeting in an instant.**_

_**Her eyes were now filled with red flames, and she placed all of them upon the dark entity.**_

"_**Kutsana! Mei-turna achana!"**_

_**Demon! Return our stolen star!**_

_**Their new friend looked at all of them...as if they were nothing but cockroaches.**_

"How nice it is to see you...after all of this time. I've missed you, Lady Niha."

**Tatsuha increased his hold on his brother, who was now fuming at the seams.**

Hiroshi Nakano took the opportunity to speak. His voice was no different from an eagle cry; powerful, strong and courageous.

"_**What in the hell did you do with Shuichi, scumbag?"**_

Silence struck the entity in the form of confusion. For a moment, he looked as if Hiro had spoken in some obsolete language...but the expiration of a second brought about the light of realization. "I think I know of the one you speak of, human." he said softly, his dark voice carrying the essence of true poison. The expiration of a minute brought about an explosion of horror; within that minute, the entity brought about the appearance of Shuichi Shindou...with a mere snap of his fingers. Horror erupted within _all _of their eyes, and created a cloud of screams; the vocalist's name pierced the air in several ways, each way filled with immoderate fear. However, Eiri Yuki was unable to call out his songbird's name...due to the explosion of intolerable sorrow.

_**His beloved songbird was in the arms of another.**_

There was another problem.

The vocalist's eyes were open...**_but they weren't filled with their usual jubilance, their usual warmth. They were cold, empty...lifeless..._**

_**Niha saw Shuichi's eyes and exploded.**_

"_**Foul, wretched beast! Return that angel to his mate, NOW!"**_

Yuki's voice pierced the cold air next. It rang out with the power of a lion's roar; it was incredibly strong, wrathful and poisonous. It would've **_traumatized _**an average human.

"_**Give me my Shu-chan back, you cold, filthy BASTARD!"**_

The novelist's body was on **_fire. _**Every inch of it was burning, burning with a fury he had never experienced before. He was dangerously close to exploding...for his body couldn't contain the wrath. It couldn't wield it, couldn't hold it...

_**A second passed, which brought about a surge of deadly fury.**_

_**The birth of incalculable wrath...came from the birth of another event.**_

_**The intruder had KISSED his songbird.**_

Wildfire pierced every inch of Yuki's body. It consumed him...and unleashed every bit of its power...

"_**YOU SON OF A BITCH! I'LL KILL YOU!"**_

"_**Restrain him!"**_

Niha's urgent, sorrowful words galvanized Tatsuha into action. He took his trembling brother into his arms and held him, which was no easy task; restraining the novelist was even more difficult than restraining a mad canine. Yuki's entire heart was overwhelmed with anger; his defense systems were beyond overdrive, and were dangerously close to destruction.

The entity's next words made everything worse.

"Such language. However, I can expect nothing more from a filthy savage."

_**Yuki's teeth pierced his bottom lip. A river of hot crimson blood was born...blood red anger flooded his eyes...**_

_Fear struck Tatsuha's soul and gnawed it to the core.._

"I believe you must be Yuki. I must say...your angel's love for you is powerful. No matter what I do, he still calls out your name. Yuukiii...Yuki Yuki Yuki...such devotion..."

_**Holding Yuki back was no different from holding back a tsunami.**_

_**In other words, it was the hardest task in existence.**_

"_**LET GO OF MY SHU-CHAN! NOW!"**_

"Or else _what? _You'll kill me?"

Cold, venomous laughter withdrew itself from the demon's throat. "You're in no position to do so. Insects can't conquer me, but _I _can conquer their territory. I've already conquered _yours_, and I have to say...every inch of it was immaculate. I'm afraid I can't return him to you; I can't allow you to soil my angel with your pathetic, putrid little body."

_**THAT was the straw that broke the camel's back.**_

"_**THAT'S IT! YOU'RE DEAD!"**_

_Yuki tore himself out of Tatsuha's shield..._

_Niha released a sorrowful cry of fear..._

_Yuki lunged out at his hated enemy..._

_**...and was instantly forced back by a blast of black energy.**_

"Disgusting. I can't stand the sight of you any longer. However, if you wish to reclaim your mate...bestow your presence upon my domain. You have three days to reach your full potential. By the way, I bear the name of 'Deus'. I look forward to our next meeting...**_Yuki."_**

Deus, the Sovereign of Darkness, vanished within a flash...

...and left behind a heartbroken, demoralized Eiri Yuki.

_You were there..._

_You were RIGHT there..._


	10. Venture

_MWEE HEE HEE! Welcome to the 'Grand Reopening' of 'Angel's Heart'! I'M BACK, AND I'M BACK IN FULL FORCE! WELCOME ALL, WELCOME!_

_It's been a really long time, and so I'm pumped up! I feel as if I've been underwater for a thousand years, and I'm finally breathing in fresh air! I'VE NEVER FELT SO EXCITED! So prepare yourselves for the epic to end all epics, for the love story to end all love stories! Prepare for the adventure of a lifetime! Prepare yourself, for the next chapter of 'Angel's Heart'!_

_Before I begin, I want to give my warmest thanks to Bloody-May, a very dear friend of mine. She stood out on the harbor and waited for me, while my computer was put through a hellhole. She also inspired me to put this project through renovation; before she befriended me, it was a thousand percent different. Now it has the miracle of 'Kingdom Hearts 2' behind it; that game is a MASSIVE source of inspiration for me. If you're familiar with it, you'll be able to grasp the full depth of 'Angel's Heart'. However, I'm going to make this so everyone can enjoy, so no worries!_

_It seems that I have sparked a trend of Gravitation fantasy epics. If you have the time, please read my friend's Gravitation epic, which was inspired by Chrono Cross, Tales of Symphonia and Xenogears. Here's another Gravitation fantasy; Hikaru-kun's newest work. Also, keep a lookout for Dejichan, who was my very first friend. Her sequel to 'Lies' is on the way; that'll be a hot one!_

_Here we go, with the grand reopening. As always, suggestions are welcome. The only things I don't take kindly too are **flames. **Thankfully, I haven't received any yet.

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_

_Theme of 'Venture': 'Passion' by Utada Hikaru, featured on Kingdom Hearts 2. Lyrics from the song will be written into the chapter. The words at the beginning are my own creation.

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_

_I'm alone now, trapped between time and darkness._

_You were always near me, smiling...but you've been stolen from me.._

_...and now I'm alone._

_My dear sanctuary, you've been taken...and there's nowhere for me to turn._

_I feel like I'm trapped in the deepest edges of Hell, for you were my sunshine.

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_

The tides of dawn were wafting into Anuryn. However, there was no difference between night or day. The heavens saw both them in an equal light, for the land of Anuryn was drenched in a newborn wave of darkness. Since it was in the grasp of chaos, there was no light. The skies were unable to shed any warmth upon the land, for they were trembling...trembling with a fear that seemed incurable. Dark winds were streaming through, billowing through the streets with massive sorrow. With them sailed dark shades of blue, which were closely followed by dark shades of purple. Black was another accompaniment, and it was the most dominant color within the heavens.

The inhabitants of Anuryn were locked in slumber. However, their dreams weren't peaceful; their hearts were trapped in inexplicable realms, ones that were filled with a single element; darkness. The land, which had once been a grand utopia of serenity, was now a world of pain...and they could not function within it. The heavens were keeping them making descents into eternal darkness, but their rest was not tranquil. The Anurynians weren't used to confinement, and had a desire to resume their lives...but all of them knew they were unable to do so, due to the new arrival of mayhem.

Several Anurynians were still exposing themselves to reality, and those were located inside of the palace. Only the civilians were asleep; the members of the palace were hard at work, trying to place pieces of an enigmatic puzzle together. All of them had suffered massive damage at the hands of darkness; the outbreak of Deus had caused severe bloodshed, and that resulted in the loss of several lives. The High Sovereign of Anuryn had lost his life, for he had sacrificed it to ensure the safety of a beloved priest. The remaining members of the palace immediately confirmed the safety of the princess and her guests, as soon as the battle came to its tragic end. They notified her of their greatest lost, but none of them fell into desolation. The Anurynians were firm believers in the spirit of life; their king was still living, breathing within their fiery hearts and souls. Even after the passing of an individual, life was still celebrated as if nothing had come to pass.

The greatest burden of the kingdom was the appearance of Deus, and the disappearance of Anuryn's angel. The members of the royal household were frantic about the newborn hostage situation; it was as if they had just lost a small, precious child, and none of them had any clue as to where to turn next. All of them were pleased to hear that their other guests were unharmed, but the loss of Shuichi Shindou hovered over them in the form of a huge boulder. To the land of Anuryn, the songbird was an invaluable jewel to them, one that could never be replaced.

In the eyes of his friends, he was no different. Hiroshi, Claude K. Winchester, Suguru, Reiji, Tatsuha and Ryuichi were all devastated by the new eruption of turmoil; none of them had ever witnessed the theft of a beloved friend, and none of them had ever encountered a living, breathing deity. All of them felt as if they were in the midst of a movie, for their current situation would have made immaculate material for a script. Unfortunately, their experience was not carved in the realm of dreams. They were in the midst of something horrible, something that could not be denied.

An hour had passed since Deus' departure. The remaining members of Bad Luck, the member of Nittle Grasper, the young priest and the XMR member were all being attended to; all of them had received nourishment, which turned to ashes as soon as it struck their lips. At the moment, they were being placed on their battle paths. Since none of them had enough time to receive proper training, they were being put through a surreal experience...one that would give them insight on their own lives, and the suitable knowledge for battle. The Anurynians were placing them into suitable battle styles; Suguru was on his way to receiving the soul of a Black Mage, Reiji was going to become a Solar Mage, Hiroshi was about to receive the spirit of a Summoner, and Tatsuha was about to take his place at Eiri Yuki's side, with the heart of an Anurynian Priest. Ryuichi was about to become a Crescent Flame; in other words, he was about to befriend a pair of chakrams. K was going to keep his usual battle material; they were just going to receive 'special upgrades'. All of them were gravely worried about Eiri Yuki, who had fallen silent after Deus' departure, but they knew what they had to...and they also knew something else; they were going to find him as soon as they were finished with their journeys.

Eiri Yuki was in the Elthaia Garden, which was located in the very center of the palace courtyard. At the center of his attention was a water fountain, which was carved in the form of a white dove...and was composed of pure white marble, just like the palace itself. The fireflies of Anuryn were fluttering about him, shimmering with a pure light that brought tears from his eyes. Each firefly had a pink aura about them, which was the color of his lover's hair.

_**He was trapped, trapped in a world he had wanted to share with his beloved songbird...trapped in a world that had been thrown into calamity.**_

When a human forms a deep attachment to a mate, they usually become dependent on their mate's presence. In order to function, they had to be by their mate's side; being without that mate usually brought upon a fit of uncomfortable confusion. Eiri Yuki felt as if he were only carrying around half a heart; Shuichi's absence was tearing him apart.

Time drifted by him, without any meaning or significance. Without his beloved songbird, no element of life had any importance. Life was not even **_life; _**it was merely death, disguised in a ribbon of deceit. Breathing was a horrifically difficult task for him, and he barely had the desire to stand...for his lover was nowhere near him. Shuichi's bright smile, his pristine voice...all of that had been taken away from the novelist, by a bloodthirsty demon.

_**Life's precious treasures had been stolen from him...by an entity of darkness.

* * *

**_

_I watch you fast asleep,_

_All I fear means nothing..._

_In you and I there's a new land..._

_Angels in flight...

* * *

_

Dewdrops fell from his eyes as he clasped his hands together, feeling his heart scream within his chest. The cries were silent, but powerful enough to torment a god. He was no longer in the midst of pure light, for that light had been taken from him. He was in the midst of darkness, the same darkness he had made a descent into years ago...

_**...the same darkness Shuichi had rescued him from.**_

The vocalist's gentle voice echoed through his heart's halls, as his mind reeled over images of the nearby past. Smiles, embraces and kisses melted their way into his broken soul, repeating themselves...playing themselves out in the form of dreams. Each memory tormented him, tore away at his very heart...but he had no desire to push them away. With the arrival of their last embrace came the face of Deus, and the words he had delivered...

"_**I can't allow you to soil my angel with your pathetic, putrid little body."**_

Sadness struck Yuki in the form of a merciless thunderbolt. Deus had pushed him away, brushed him off as if he had been nothing more than a bothersome housefly...

_**...and Shuichi was right there, tucked in the entity's arms.**_

His trembling heart released words, words that were filled with immeasurable sadness. His voice was the voice of a warrior, one that had lost his most precious treasure...a soul that had carelessly tossed his dearest song away...

"I promised...that I wouldn't let anything to happen to you. I swore to you that I'd protect you...but now...you're...I...couldn't...do anything..."

_**Dammit, damn everything...**_

Cascades of starlight rushed from his shivering heart. Pain wracked his cold body, and only one source could heal it. That source was nowhere near him. It was gone, lost in an unknown tide of time...

"You were right there...**_right there...I'm so sorry, Shuichi..."_**

His hands held each other. They kept themselves tied to each other, bearing an insatiable thirst for warmth and relief. Dewdrops fell upon them as they tied themselves closer, and their wielder emitted trembling sobs of sadness. Loneliness, anguish and anger were wreaking havoc within him, and none of them had any desire to end their terror. He couldn't shake any of them off, for they were all horrifically powerful; he had failed to protect his lover, and so he deserved every slice of pain he received. Before he had arrived in Anuryn with Shuichi, he saw himself as an invisible hero, one that could protect the songbird from anything...mainly because _Shuichi _saw him in that light. The vocalist of Bad Luck firmly believed that he was capable of anything, and so he carried a high amount of self-confidence. He had successfully protected Shuichi from countless 'predators', but now...in the midst of a new world, he was as powerful as an **_insect._**

_**He was a prince that had failed to protect the one that believed in him.**_

Warm hands engulfed his, which caused his eyes to open. If one of his dear friends had been with him, they would have said that Shuichi rubbed off on him, for his eyes carried Shuichi's childlike, puppyish magic. They were filled with confusion for a moment, but confusion transformed into even more sorrow as soon as they fell upon his visitor, Lady Niha. With the warmth of a mother, the beautiful sovereign removed rivers from his eyes and delivered one of her brightest smiles. The look on the novelist's face amused her; he had the look of a confused toddler, which was immensely adorable to her. She kept his hands within hers, the way she had kept them a short while ago.

"Hello, _peita. _I'm glad you found your way to the Elthaia Garden. This place possesses special magic; it blesses every visitor, and it peeks into their dreams."

Yuki frowned at her, looking as if she had just spoken in the strangest language. "Yeah, well, this isn't very exciting for me. I didn't come here to gawk at the flowers."

A gentle frown fell upon her face, which gave her eyes a warm glow. "I know you didn't, _peita." _she said softly, squeezing his hands. "I know of your pain. Your heart is crying; my soul can feel its waves of pain."

She placed a hand over her bare chest, and it found a resting place over her heart. "I feel everything you're feeling right now, _peita. _I wish I could take away your pain, but I can do nothing for you. I am very sorry about everything that has taken place." she said sadly, her voice quivering under a thick sheet of sadness. Yuki's eyes widened in horror as he remembered something; she had just lost her father.

"Don't be. You aren't responsible for any of this."

He squeezed her hands and gave her a warm smile, one that was radiant with appreciation. "Thanks, though." he said softly, his own eyes glowing in the quiet slumber of Anuryn. "I appreciate your concern. I just don't want you to feel responsible for any of this. After all, you have your own problems to deal with."

"Do not fear for me, _peita. _My father's heart is within mine; he has **_not _**left me. He still lives, within each and everyone of us. As long as we keep his memory alive, he'll stay here...with _all _of us. We have nothing to fear."

Yuki released her hands with his usual nonchalance. His voice resumed its tone of indifference, even though it was still fragile from intense sadness. "Oh." he said, placing his eyes back on the fountain. He folded his arms, released a gentle sigh and lowered his head.

"That's good to know. I'm glad you're all right. I didn't have too much of a relationship with my father, so I guess I'm a little jealous. You see, I was a bit of bastard towards my father...because I didn't know too much about love. I kept myself tied in a corner, away from the world...for the **_longest _**time. I didn't know too much about anything, until Shui-"

_**Big mistake.**_

Rivers transformed themselves into waterfalls. Sobs threatened to overwhelm him, and he pushed them back. However, his resistance was weak; he feared that he wouldn't be strong enough to hold everything back. Niha saw the eruption of tears and immediately embraced him, still holding his pain within her heart. The two of them broke away after a moment; Yuki removed waterfalls from his eyes, and Niha placed her hands on his shoulders.

The novelist smiled at her once again, this time bearing embarrassment within his eyes. "Sorry about that." he said amidst weak laughter. "It's just...thinking about him **_hurts _**now. This isn't how it's supposed to be. I can't stop crying."

_Damn, I feel like such a pansy..._

"_Peita..._do you believe...that you'll be able to rescue him?"

The presentation of that question shocked him, even though he had expected it. He searched for an answer within a moment of silence, then delivered it...bearing the voice of a small, indecisive child.

"Niha, I made a promise to him. I promised him that I'd always protect him. I told him that I'd never let **_anything _**harm him. That promise fell through about an hour ago."

Anger crossed Niha's gentle features, and it burned into Yuki's heart.

"Are you telling me that you don't believe in yourself?"

"Yeah, I guess I am." he said indignantly. He couldn't tell if he was annoyed with her sudden launch into anger, or if he was annoyed at himself. He was brushing towards the latter.

She had the look of an annoyed schoolteacher.

"What would your mate say to that?"

A smile broke out on Yuki's face, but its components were relentless. It was composed of fragile happiness, wrath and frustration. Those same elements were within his voice.

"He'd probably laugh at me right now. He thought-he _thinks _I can do anything. He thinks I'm invisible."

Laughter broke away from his lips. **_The components of his smile were within his voice._**

"I guess I'm not as strong as he thought I was."

_**I'm so sorry...**_

In a second, Eiri Yuki quickly learned of Niha's mood swings. In the blink of an eye, she transformed herself into a fiery lioness-she no longer had the warmth of a mother about her. She looked as if he had offended her in the most horrific way imaginable, and had no desire to let his offense sit on the wayside. **_"How can you believe that!" _**she asked angrily, her beautiful eyes blazing with wildfire. **_"You doubt the beliefs of your heart's mate! You're making his beliefs out to be lies!"_**

_**You're making his beliefs out to be lies!**_

_**That line struck him in the form of an iron bat.**_

Horrific truth struck him. He was refusing to see himself as Shuichi's hero, therefore he was labeling the songbird as a _liar, _which was the **_last _**thing he wanted to do. He was, in essence, labeling the vocalist as a fool, a _stupid believer in fairy tales..._

"Listen to me, _peita."_

Niha took his hands once again and squeezed them with all of her might. Tears streamed from Yuki's eyes as her strong voice pierced his heart.

"Your mate is one that sees the purity in **_everything. _**His gentle heart may cause him to appear childish, but he's **_strong._** He possess a gift **_no other_** carries, and that is the ability to see the **_truth. _**He saw a special light within you, and he gave his heart to that light. Those beliefs of his aren't just the beliefs of an infant; they were born within the tides of truth! _You _are the ignorant one, for you fail to see yourself in that light! He knows your heart, _peita; **he fell in love with it!"**_

Oceans formed within Eiri Yuki's eyes.

_He knows your heart, peita; he fell in love with it!_

"If you truly wish to rescue your mate, then you must become the one you were _meant _to become. You must become the one that dwells inside of you. _You must see yourself through his eyes! Find yourself in his eyes!"_

Those words caused something to _click _within him. Images spouted off within his mind's eyes. The voice of his songbird struck his heart, and filled him with an indescribable feeling...

"_Don't worry about your deadline, Yuki! I know you'll be able to meet it!"_

"_Wow! You're the greatest, Yuki! I knew you could do it!"_

"_I bet you could leap over buildings if you wanted to. You're the greatest!"_

"_You're just like a prince!"_

"_You'll always be my hero! I love you!"_

A smile returned to Niha's face. Her pupil's eyes were closed; he was discovering exactly what she wanted to find. _The depth behind her words, **and **the depth behind Shuichi Shindou's heart._

"_Peita, _I will help you unlock your true strength. Follow me!"

"_Wait a minute!" _the novelist cried out, stunned by her sudden exchange of moods. Thanks to her mood switch, his train of visions had crashed. "What's _with _you, Niha?" he asked, feeling a smile break out on his face. She held a finger up to her lips, bearing the look of a mischievous child. "And _why _in the hell do you keep calling me 'peita'?"

"Come with me! I know where to take you!"

Before he could seize the opportunity to respond, she took off with the speed of an eagle. The princess of Anuryn really was no different from a child, for she carried the playful heart of one. Eiri Yuki shook his head with a sigh, removed rivers from his eyes and followed her.

* * *

-Helpful note. 'Peita' means 'beloved heart' in Anurynian. If you want an accurate picture of Lady Niha, think of the Disney character 'Kida' from 'Atlantis'. That character inspired the Anurynian Princess. I would like to announce that Lady Niha is going to fall for Yuki; any thoughts on that would be appreciated. Thank you! 


	11. Eternal Dreams

Welcome to the next chapter of 'Angel's Heart', my dear readers! I'd like to give my tenth-millionth embrace to everyone that has supported me, including my two dear friends. They already know who they are, and they'd better be proud of themselves. They've created masterpieces that have inspired me, and through their stories, I can see who they are. Our stories are portals to our hearts; Dejichan just taught me that in her last review.

Please enjoy 'Eternal Dreams'. As always, I am open to suggestions/constructive criticism. I am always open to the hearts of my readers, and I shall continue to do my best on this end. Please continue to enjoy my story, and don't forget to read the stories of my friends. After all, we're all here together, right? Gravitation lives through ALL OF US!

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_Theme of 'Eternal Dreams': 'Passion' by Uteda Hikaru, featured in Kingdom Hearts 2 OST. Please note that Eiri Yuki will experience several visions within this chapter. The author truly hopes that the visions won't pose challenges to her readers. If they do, please notify her of the confusion. This chapter was inspired by the 'Kingdom Hearts 2' intro.

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_

Just a few hours ago, Eiri Yuki had been nothing more than a novelist. He dwelled within a world of words and deadlines, a world that thrived off of pressure and anticipation. His laptop to the portal had been his portal to that world, and his fingers carved the elements of that realm. The land of Tokyo was his cherished home, a place he had shared with his dearest angel; Shuichi Shindou. Within that little home of theirs, they formed dreams for eternity, dreams that were simple yet beautiful. That home had been his empire, for it caused him to feel like a god. The angel's presence gave him that special feeling, and it was a feeling he never wanted to lose. In his eyes, Shuichi was even more beautiful than the heavens themselves. Nothing within the universe could have rivaled that angel's resplendence, and that songbird had chosen _him _to be his mate.

Now the novelist was in the midst of a grand adventure, one that he had never dreamt of before. He knew of his songbird's fairy tales; he knew of the princes and their heroic deeds. He was quite aware of their escapades, but never placed full belief in them. Now he was in the center of his own fairy tale, locked within the role Shuichi had always seen him in. He never thought of himself as a true prince charming, but now he was in the middle of a newborn tale, on his way to rescue his own true love. That fact alone was mindboggling. The thought of a novelist battling a mythical deity was strange, not to mention inconceivable.

One that was for certain, though. He was ready and willing to exhaust all options. He was willing to sacrifice his life in order to ensure Shuichi's return.

He and the Lady Niha were in the midst of another sacred place, one that evidently held great worth to the Anurynian palace. Like the holy haven, their current location possessed immense power and was nothing to be toyed with. The walls of their current location were drenched in immaculate blues; different shades of blue were tossing themselves about the walls, and the walls had an uncanny resemblance to the floor of an ocean. The serene melody of water was slowly soaring throughout the divine place, which gave the entire location a much-needed sense of peace. Several yards in front of them was a pool, one that was dressed in iridescent colors. Before the novelist had a chance to inquire about the pool, Niha launched into an explanation.

"This is Anuryn's 'dream pool', one of our beloved possessions. It allows its visitor to peek into unknown corners of their hearts. Through the waves of this pool, you can find your past..._and _your future."

Silence passed within Eiri Yuki's eyes for a second, then a light shot through them. His eyes were filled with their usual placidness, but because of the journey he had been placed in, their serenity was no longer pure. They were now filled with childlike fear and confusion...two elements that could have been applied to Shuichi Shindou's eyes. Any one of his companions would have stated that his eyes were the eyes of the vocalist, for they held the same innocence about them.

"Wait a minute. Is _that _where my friends went?"

_Friends. _Never before he had referred to them as 'friends'.

Prior to the journey, he had only cared for Shuichi. Now his companions weren't just mere acquaintances; they were loyal friends, devoted supporters and mentors. The lady Niha tossed an excited smile in his direction, which sent of shiver of anticipation through his veins. Once again, she had the look of an overjoyed infant about her; just moments ago, she had been in the role of a lioness. Her mood swings were definitely bizarre, but captivating.

The beautiful sovereign, who was on her way to becoming the Queen of Anuryn, took the frightened novelist by his hands once again. She had a deep fondness for him, one that was about to blossom like sunlight after a storm. Her gentle, motherly eyes burrowed into his, calming and soothing his broken heart.

"Yes. All of your companions were introduced to this same pool. Their journeys began some time ago. _Your _journey is about to begin _now. _Are you ready?"

He stepped away from her, surprised by her eagerness. "I know you have a tendency to rush into things," he said gently, his voice bearing gentle fear. "but I would appreciate a deeper explanation. I'm ready to give my life for-"

_Him._

Shuichi had been reduced to _'him'._

"-him, Niha, but in order to do so, I need to know what I'm dealing with."

That only made her smile brighten. It was as if she were about to head off on an Easter egg hunt.

"That's the whole fun of the journey, _peita. _I cannot tell you what your past holds, and I am certainly not in charge of the future. You must take a look into your story _by yourself. _I cannot assist you in anyway. I can tell you this, however; this journey will allow you to make a choice. You will either emerge through your mate's eyes, or you will fail to gain the strength you need to ensure the return of your angel. If you emerge with the necessary strength, you will gain your tools for battle; a physical accompaniment to the spiritual accompaniment. If you fail, then you will be unable to save the life of your mate."

Determination bloomed with the author's eyes. His heart was still aching, still throbbing for the warmth of its mate...but he was determined to hold up his lonely spirit. After all, he would need it in order to rescue his precious songbird. What was a prince without a high spirit?

"Don't worry. **_Failure _**isn't an option. I'll come out with the _tools _I need, I promise."

He placed his eyes on the surface of the pool, and the faces of his friends came to mind. His companions were within the same waves, experiencing journeys of their own...

_**...worrying about him.**_

Hope soared within his heart. He hoped that his friends were doing well; he wanted all of them to be on the same page. In other words, he desired success from his own journey, and wanted his companions to emerge with the same. None of them needed to be left behind.

The Anuryn sovereign placed a hand on his shoulder. She could see the courage within his eyes, and was thrilled by its presence. One could have said that she was going on the journey herself, due to the light within her eyes. She carried the excitement of a hopeful, proud parent observing a graduation ceremony. Her voice held the same amount of pride and anticipation.

"Go, _peita. _Place yourself within the wings of your pages, and take flight. Absorb everything you see, take in everything you find. Once again, I will remind you that there are two outcomes to your flight. You will either fail...or succeed. It is up to you, and _you _alone."

_It is up to YOU, and you alone._

Eiri Yuki, Tokyo's greatest novelist, kept his eyes upon the pool's surface for an eternity. His heart carried itself through a million skies; skies that were filled with hope, tension, heartache and yearning. A certain smile crossed his mind before he took it upon himself to walk into the pool...and that smile belonged to none other than Shuichi Shindou, Bad Luck's treasured vocalist.

Lady Niha watched her charge disappear beneath the pool's waves, her own heart filled with anticipation. An unborn yearning tugged at her heartstrings, but she refused to give birth to that forbidden desire. She kept her focus on the situation at hand, and filled her body with the golden light of untainted hope. A hand fell over her heart and kept itself there, studying the movements of the jewel within her chest.

"_Mai-kahna surnahwai."_

_May the heavens watch over you.

* * *

_

His eyes were closed, but his body was perfectly aware of his environment. Waves of gentle blue water were carrying him through time, radiant with the urgent desire for eternity. Streams were pouring into his ears, but he felt as if he were standing on the shores of a golden beach, for he could hear the gentle melody of a distant ocean.

He fell further and further, farther from the boundaries of his past...farther from the boundaries of ignorant humanity. He continued his journey into an unknown world, silently carried upon the wings of blue luminescence. The waves brought a pink aura upon themselves after an eternity, and a familiar voice pierced his heart...

"You know, for years I have dreamt you. You've always been my prince...my hero...and I've always loved you. You've always been my one and only."

_**Shuichi.**_

His eyes snapped open as a thunderbolt pierced his heart. For a moment, water rendered him unable to speak, but as soon as his eyes opened themselves, he regained basic functions. Unaware of the environment he had been placed in, the cry of his heart released itself; it tore itself from his throat savagely, the way a lion would shred broken prey.

"_**Shuichi!"**_

Pain crashed onto him a second later. The voice had been so close to him, so real...but...

_**Shuichi was nowhere near him.**_

Pain struck him in the form of waves. It blinded him, rendered him unable to see. However, he refused to let tears overwhelm him. The author removed tearmist from his eyes, and scanned the world he had been thrown into. He was nowhere near the pool, and here was another strange fact. His body held no evidence of moisture; he was perfectly dry. Another fact; he was nowhere near Anuryn. He recognized his surroundings, and his heart threw itself against a wall because of them.

He was in his beloved empire, his **_home._**

Something was wrong, though. **_Dead wrong._**

"What in the hell is-"

"_**Yuki! Stop! Stop, PLEASE! Leave me alooone!"**_

Claws of disbelief shredded his chest, and caused his heart to cry in horror. His heart made an attempt to leap from his throat, but he somehow managed to hold it down. Somehow, **_Shuichi Shindou was upstairs...screaming..._**

_**...at him.**_

"_**Shuichi!"**_

_**What's going on here!**_

"_**YUKI! Please don't hurt me anymore! Please! I'm sorry!"**_

Without another thought, the novelist rushed up the stairs, almost tore the door to his bedroom off...**_and was greeted by a HORRIFIC sight. _**A brutal gasp tore itself from his throat, and horror filled his eyes.

"_What the-"_

Thunder was pounding against his windowpane. The skies of Tokyo were dark, the winds were brutally cold...

...and Shuichi Shindou was no more than a few inches of front of him, whimpering...

...down on the floor, covered in mortal wounds...

...wounds that had been inflicted by...

The horror-stricken novelist looked upon the attacker, who had the intention of killing the songbird. The identity of the would-be killer horrified him even more.

_**HE was the attacker.**_

Fervent confusion, fear and sorrow overwhelmed as his eyes absorbed bloodshed. He took a deep look upon the eyes of his other 'self', and they were too horrifying to look within. They were dark, filled with...

...black hatred.

"_**Yuki! Noo!"**_

The novelist's other 'self' struck out at the whimpering vocalist, who was unable to move...due to the wounds upon his legs and chest. Horror suffocated Lady Niha's charge as his eyes took in everything; **_he was trying to kill his precious lover..._**

"Please...don't hurt me anymore...Yuki..."

Thunder continued to pound upon the windowpanes. Shuichi Shindou was on the cold, lifeless floor, shivering...sobbing...

_**Eiri Yuki was upon him, wielding a...**_

_**...bat...**_

"I'm sorry, Shuichi. You've gotten on my nerves for the last time. I can't deal with this anymore."

_**What in the hell?**_

"Please...just...l-l-let me g-go...I'll...go away, I promise..."

"Sorry. Can't allow _that _to pass either, _brat. _I can't let you fill someone else's life with bullshit. You were **_my _**responsibility, after all."

"Nooo...p-p-please...d-d-don't...Yuki...nooo...I..I love you..."

_I love you..._

Those words galvanized Niha's charge into action. Wildfire consumed his eyes as he bravely placed himself in front of Shuichi, unwilling to let the murder attempt to succeed. He was battling against himself, the 'self' he would have become if he had denied himself a chance at true love...

"_**Step BACK!"**_

His thunderous voice shattered the windows. The eyes of Shuichi Shindou fell upon him, filled with fear and hope...

"_**GET BACK, YOU FUCKING BASTARD! I LOVE SHUICHI SHINDOU! DO YOU HEAR ME? I LOVE HIM!"**_

Those last words echoed through the halls of his home, shattered every window within it...and brought about an abrupt departure. Starlight consumed him, swept him away from the vision of his home...and placed him back into the stream of time. Waves of pink moonlight filled his vision...as beloved images pierced his eyes and heart. The smiles of his treasured lover filled his body, sweet laughter carried him even further into pain...

"Eiri, you have just emerged from what could have been. If you had denied yourself the purity of true love, if you had kept yourself within the darkness...that event would have become a piece of _reality."_

His feet placed themselves upon a silver ground, and he found himself within a world of memories...memories that were carried within pink bubbles. He was under the surface of a dark blue ocean, but strangely...he possessed the ability to function as if he were on the surface of life. Precious images continued to drift by him as he searched for the owner of that voice, his eyes scanning every inch in front of him...with Shuichi-like innocence.

"Where are you?" he asked, feeling as if he had known the speaker ever since birth. The speaker emerged from darkness after a moment, bearing a smile upon his face. It was another Anuryn; a male one, and a sovereign by the looks of it. Unfortunately, it wasn't the king he had become fond of during his visit. It was a king from Anuryn's past...

"I am here, Eiri. Right in front of you."

The individual had fatherly warmth to him, warmth that brought even more tears to the novelist's eyes. He didn't create a relationship with his _own _father, and so the presence of the king caused his heart to fill itself with regret. The king's smile became even warmer as he brought his arms around the saddened author, emitting the warmth of a true father. Gentle laughter drew itself from his heart before he continued, his eyes twinkling with tender happiness.

"You just had a look at the unborn present, _arihi. _Long ago, your heart fell into the deepest darkness. If you had _kept _your heart within that pain, you would haven taken the life of your dear lover."

_You would have taken the life of your dear lover._

Yuki drew himself away from the king, stunned. The events that had unfolded in front of him had torn him apart, but the king's gentle statements increased that horror. The sovereign kept warmth upon his face, as his soft voice soothed the novelist's pain...

"The path to true love lies in front of you, _anihi. _Your angel awaits you at the end, filled with dreams of eternity..."

Right before his very eyes, the king melted away into his beloved soul mate. The voice of the sovereign melted into the voice of the songbird, carried upon the wings of pink starlight...

"...and my heart is filled with longing. I'm waiting for you, my prince...and...I hope...you find me. I love you, Yuki."

_I love you..._

Warm arms wrapped themselves around him...tears poured from his eyes as a gentle heart melted into his lonely soul...

"_Find your heart in my eyes...seek yourself through my voice. Follow my heart, and you'll find me...no matter where I go..."_

_**Damn it...Shuichi...**_

Everything felt so real...so warm...**_so familiar..._**


	12. Surreal Love

Thanks to the rave reviews I received for last chapter, I'm psyched up for more. I'm lucky to have such enthusiastic readers on my side! I never thought I'd make it this far, but I have, and it's because of your support! Thank you for supporting me, my dear friends!

I just found the eighth wonder of the world; the newest chapter of Bloody-May's latest masterpiece. Please read that for my friend. I promise you, you won't waste your time if you decide to do so. I swear that on my honor as a writer.

Thank you for reading my work, my friends. Please continue to enjoy my story.

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_Theme of 'Surreal Love': New Hope (Industrial version) by Masashi Hamauzu, Wandering Flame of Final Fantasy X OST, Nigyo Hime from Chobits OST

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_

Warm, tender arms kept themselves tied to the novelist's heart. Strands of pink splendor fell upon his chest, brushed his weary soul and brought even more tears from his eyes. The novelist had to remind himself that Shuichi was in the hands of a demon, but the songbird felt so real...he was in his arms, warm and fragile...tiny and delicate, like the wings of an infant dove. A shard of glass had the strength of a boulder, compared to the frailty of the vocalist. The tiny angel was so warm, so soft...

The night they created before their flight recreated itself. Clouds of cherry blossoms fell from the air, accompanied by the soft white light of an angel's melody. Each petal felt as if it had been formed from that special night, for it possessed a delicate aura. Glitter was upon every blossom, smiling with the incandescence of a child's heart, and it made another empyrean accompaniment to the surreal scene. The songbird tightened his grip on his prince, who was lost in a cloud of tearmist. His heart was slowly pounding upon its cage, ripe with the chaotic power of pain. It was as if he had consumed a gallon of poison, and it was bestowing an incurable disease throughout his weary body. His heart was swiftly pounding upon its cage, fervently trying to achieve relief...but all attempts were failing.

He had to keep reminding himself. He had to keep telling himself...that Shuichi was in the arms of another. He had to keep telling himself that his beloved songbird, the one he loved more than life itself, was trapped in the arms of a bloodthirsty demon. Unfortunately, the task of presenting reminders was excruciatingly difficult; his songbird was in his arms, snuggling against his chest...the way he had always done in the past. Cherry blossoms continued to descend upon them as they held each other, searching for the warmth they had shared so many times...

"I've dreamt of you so many times, Yuki..."

Slowly but surely, the young one took on the form of his future self. However, the transformation failed to reach completion, and the incompletion of that transformation turned the songbird into a mirage, one that was lost to the waves of the night...

"You've always been my hero, my prince. I've always loved you, Yuki."

A breeze of cherry blossoms swept their blanket of pink starlight away. The mirage within Yuki's arms vanished as the author was placed into another world, one that was painfully familiar to him. Pain struck his heart the moment he recognized his new location.

_He was in the middle of Shizouka Park...where he found Shuichi's smile...for the very first time._

Tears threatened to overwhelm him, but he forced them down. The attempt to hold them back caused his eyes to burn, and his chest fell into unshakable venom. Poison coursed through his veins, laughing at his feeble attempts to restrain his tears. His eyes scanned the familiar, beloved setting; there were proud, emerald green trees, black lanterns and brown benches. The skies were filled with the melody of a romantic night, singing with the rapturous bliss of pure innocence. Blissful couples were walking throughout the park, holding hands...sending kisses and embraces. Birds were covered in their chosen havens; several of them had made the decision to rest within trees, others had decided to settle within the shield of the lanterns.

Everything was serene for a moment, then the arrival of a certain voice caused his heart to **_stop._**

"Hiro, guess what? I had another dream!"

The novelist's eyes dilated. Every drop of moisture ran from his body, and so his mouth became painfully dry. His eyes fell upon two familiar faces; the faces of Shuichi Shindou and Hiroshi Nakano. There was a massive difference about the two of them, though; they weren't the ones he knew so well. He had obviously been placed several years into the past, for their appearances carried differences to their appearances within the present. Both of them were strolling through the park, basking under the warm light of the lanterns.

"Oh, _really _now? You saw your dream prince again, did you?"

The songbird, who was not yet the vocalist of Bad Luck, gave Hiroshi one of his brightest smiles. His violet eyes shimmered under the moonlight...with the same magic Yuki had come to love so deeply. "Yep! I sure did!" he replied merrily, sounding like a child that had just received the world's biggest treasure chest. "I had it last night. I hope I have another dream tonight!"

Hiroshi brought his route to a halt and folded his arms, bearing the look of a playful schoolteacher. "What if this _prince _of yours isn't real, Shu?" he asked gently, his voice bearing a gentle sheet of doubt. "You and I _both _know that you're in love with fairy tales. This prince of yours could be just a dream, nothing more."

The look on Shuichi's face almost caused Yuki to break into sobs. The happy songbird's face was radiant, filled with empyrean love and rapture. He looked so happy, so sure of the future...

"I know he isn't something I made up, Hiro. I just _know _it. I know I'll meet him someday! He's out there!"

"Shu, do you even know this guy's name?"

The answer Shuichi gave _crushed _Yuki.

"Nope! I do know what he looks like, though! That's good enough!"

The novelist's heart **_sank._** Shuichi loved him more than anything, **_waaay _**before he even knew his **_name..._**

The songbird's face became sad. He placed himself upon a bench, at Hiroshi's side...lost in a world of thoughts. The guitarist kept his eyes on the little vocalist, emitting the affection of an ancient mentor. Silence soared between them for a short while, then Shuichi broke it with his gentle, melodious voice.

"You know...I wake up in the middle of the night...and I think to myself, 'I'm tired of being lonely'. I'm tired of not having any dreams...I'm tired of being by myself, under an enormous sky of stars. I want someone to love me, Hiro. Someone to hold me...someone to share dreams with. I _know _my prince is out there, and I'll find him..._soon."_

Pain struck Yuki's heart as a memory surfaced within his mind. The vision of Shuichi's first smile soared through his mind...and brought waterfalls to his eyes. The songbird had given him the most _beautiful_ smile, one filled with ecstasy and hope...

_I've spent so many nights alone. I've shed so many tears, shed so many dreams..._

_You've been with me for so long...but you weren't near me._

_I was lost, torn between reality and dreams..._

_Lonely, cold and sad..._

Those words drifted into Eiri Yuki's heart and tormented him. The tears he had tried to hold back threw themselves against the wind. His eyes began to burn violently, his chest drenched itself in black venom, and his head began to burn with indescribable pain. Loneliness and shock tore away at him, and neither had the desire to release him.

_Shuichi Shindou had been madly in love with him...way before he even knew Shuichi existed._

Sobs brought him to his knees. He fell upon the cold ground, which was still within a vision of the Shizouka Park. His fingers grasped at the contents of the ground, and waterfalls tore themselves from his eyes. His heart wouldn't stop screaming, and it was dangerously loud. He could hear it pounding within his ears; it was loud enough to break the ears of a god...

"Shuichi...Shu-chan...my Shuichi..."

Sobs rendered him unable to speak, for what seemed like the tenth thousandth time. His thoughts soared through the halls of his mind, filled with sorrow...

_My Shuichi...my beautiful, dear Shuichi...I love you too..._

"Well well well. What do we have here? A sniveling, _sobbing _insect."

_The arrival of that voice caused his heart to strike a severe, violent chord._

His eyes snapped open, which made him realize that he was no longer in the Shizouka Park. Oceans brought themselves to a halt as he noticed the identity of the speaker, and black hatred consumed his entire soul. His environment was unfamiliar to him; his feet were planted upon a white ground, and he was in the midst of a black, starlit ocean. However, his new location held no interest for him. The intruder was the center of attention now, and he was about to receive a **_ton _**of fire.

"It's nice to see you again...**_Yuki. _**You're right where you belong too. On the ground, like a _true _peon."

For the _very _first time, anger overwhelmed his entire soul, his _entire being. _Never before had he experienced such cold, pulsating hatred...and he never carried a desire to do so. He had spent so many days in happiness, thanks to the presence of a certain songbird...

"_**YOU! YOU'RE THE CAUSE OF THIS!"**_

Deus, the one that had captured his beloved treasure, smiled as if they were in the middle of a picnic.

"Yes, I believe I am. I'm quite happy to see you again, dear _Yuki. _Your songbird _misses _you."

Hatred strengthened itself within Eiri Yuki's heart. It tore away at him, caused him to feel like a mindless, heartbroken animal...

"_**WHERE IS HE? WHERE ARE YOU KEEPING MY SHUICHI?"**_

Amusement bloomed on the prince's face. Yuki was an amusing little bug, one that he wanted to keep in an amusement park. The answer he delivered ignited a **_MASSIVE_** tsunami of fury.

"He's been under me. I've been enjoying him, **_Yuki._** Having him squeal under me is delightful. He continues to cry out for you, even though he's...**_screaming under my grasp._**"

Eiri Yuki bit his lip.

"I still don't understand how you could _possibly _see yourself as his _lover. _My dear friend, you're nothing more than a puking mortal. One like you could **_never _**taste the true beauty of such a _delicate _angel."

_**A waterfall of blood began to flow from his self-inflicted wound.**_

"You're upon the ground, sniveling like a child. What a terrible waste. You should be _banished _from that angel's sight."

"You know..."

A fire lit itself within Eiri Yuki's heart. He slowly rose from his place on the ground, with his head lowered. His eyes were filled with a newborn fire, a fire he had never felt before...

"I may be a _filthy _mortal...I may be a _disgusting, FILTHY mortal..."_

His voice was at its usual level of serenity, but it was filled with something strong, something powerful and immeasurable. It was hatred...cold, fiery hatred...

_**...and determination.**_

"...**_I may be a lowly scumbucket, but there is ANOTHER difference to us!"_**

That newborn fire blossomed within his heart and emitted itself from his soul. Courage exuded itself from his re-created heart, poured forth from his veins and cried out from the depth of his heart. A soft sheet of golden yellow light consumed his body, and it held itself over him, radiant with the light of a newborn future.

"_**I LOVE THAT ANGEL! TO YOU, HE'S NOTHING MORE THAN A TOY! A PLAYTHING!"**_

White starlight blossomed over the newborn heart. It wrapped itself around his body for a moment, then vanished within the blink of an eye. It left Tokyo's greatest author with a new sense of courage...and confidence. The voice of his beloved songbird swept through his mind, and filled his heart with strength...

"_I want you...to see yourself...through my eyes."_

_See yourself...through my eyes._

A tight one-piece outfit was over his body, drenched in the black winds of an endless night. His feet were in black boots, ones that met the splendor of his newborn battle gear. There was a silver belt across his waist, and it was the haven for two daggers; two crescent moon daggers. Newborn fire bloomed within his eyes...and gave him immoderate power.

This was nothing more than a vision, a mere dream.

_**He sure as hell wasn't going to let it get the best of him.**_

"_**THAT ANGEL FELL IN LOVE WITH ME, EIRI UESUGI! I REFUSE TO LET SOME DEMON DESTROY HIM!"**_


	13. Raging Spirit

Welcome to 'Raging Spirit', the next chapter of 'Angel's Heart'! You, my dear readers, are responsible for the fire that blazes through this story. Without support, this story wouldn't go anywhere. That explains the massive renovation I made, with the help of a very dear friend.

I hope all of you enjoyed the last chapter, because I had a lot of fun writing it. Just so you know, Eiri Uesugi's appearance was inspired by Cloud Strife's appearance in 'Advent Children'. If any of you have seen his new, sleeveless outfit, you have a pretty good picture on Eiri's new attire. To those of you that are unaware of Cloud Strife's gear, Eiri's decked out in a sleeveless black outfit with black boots. Our hero's first battle will continue here, so stay tuned!

Thank you for reading my work. All of you mean so much to me!

* * *

_Theme of 'Raging Spirit': 'Passion (Opening Version)' by Uteda Hikaru, featured in Kingdom Hearts 2 OST. This song is the theme of 'Angel's Heart'.

* * *

_

The black ocean, which had consumed Eiri several minutes ago, took on the ethereal form of an endless battleground. Blue starlight struck every crevasse, iridescent beams covered every inch of the sky, and wildfire created a ring for both combatants. The ground took on the color of an ocean, which bore a smile within its core. The two combatants refused to take their eyes off of each other, despite the alterations in their environment. Their world was rapidly changing, rapidly roaring with fervent desires...but the warriors kept their hearts focused on the task at hand. Eiri, who had just tossed off his name of the past, kept his eyes locked upon the nonchalant Deus, who acted as if he were in the midst of an appalling lecture.

White fire emitted itself from the novelist's body, screaming with the might of a proud lion. Ribbons of white fire threw themselves from his heart, giving him the passion of a newborn prince. Several minutes ago, he had the heart of a crestfallen sovereign, one that had lost faith in his dreams. He had refused to believe in his songbird's light, and so he had succumbed to the mists of abysmal despair. Fortunately, that despair was nowhere near him now. Because of the journey he had experienced, he felt strong and confident; he was no longer an 'insect' with the inability to function. He was fully aware of his songbird's dreams, and had no desire to destroy any of them.

Shuichi Shindou had looked upon him as a true hero, one that had the ability to eliminate any obstacle. In the past, Eiri had never looked upon himself in such a pure light. Through his own eyes, he was merely a defender, one that carried no special skills. The loss of his songbird had caused him to plummet to a spiritual death, but now he felt as if he were on top of the world, ready to eliminate any threat within his path.

He removed his newborn daggers from their sheaths, and felt their power course through him. They had been created from his fresh strength, and both of them were ready to endure a long journey with their new owner. They were elegant weapons, yet filled with enough power to shatter a storm, despite their size. He had never placed a weapon in his hands before, but the daggers brought upon familiar warmth, one that he was pleased to acknowledge. The daggers increased his self-confidence, for they gave him the soul of an ancient warrior, one that had possessed massive battle skills.

Deus analyzed his opponent's transformation with a calm smile. In his eyes, Eiri Uesugi was nothing more than an insect, one that required instant elimination. However, his transformation had increased the prince's excitement level. He had been wrong on one point; the author wasn't a puny, insignificant ant. He had taken on an intense metamorphosis, one that was similar to the emergence of a butterfly. Amusement pierced the dark sovereign's eyes as laughter drew itself from his mouth, radiant with the glee of a sadistic predator.

_Hmm. Things have become VERY interesting._

Gentle, tender words flew into the novelist's heart. They brushed against his soul, pierced his cold body and brought forth the birth of hope. Whispers fell into his ears, the way they had done many times in the past.

_Yuki...I want you...to see yourself...through MY eyes._

Strands of his brown hair locked themselves upon his forehead. His eyes burned into the eyes of his eternal enemy, filled with enough hatred to last a thousand eternities. He increased his grip upon his daggers, listening to the vibrant rhythm of his heart. His heart was still pounding upon its chest, but it was no longer running from the present. It was drenched in newborn fire, soaked in the desire for immortality. The visions he had witnessed were pouring strength through his bloodstream; he could feel every one of his veins pulsating. His blood was hotter than the hottest lava, crying for the chance at eternal love. White fire was still wrapped around his body, watching over him with the concern of an ancient sage. However, when he shattered the silence with his powerful voice, the ribbons took on the forms of golden phoenixes, and they took to the skies.

"_**SHUICHI GAVE HIS HEART TO ME, YOU FILTHY SON OF A BITCH! I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU STEAL THAT AWAY FRO M ME!"**_

_I thought Kitazawa was bad. Compared to this bastard, that guy was my best friend! I've never been so pissed off before in my life!_

Anger took over every limb of his body, coupled with ardent hatred. It created even more fire, and those flames removed themselves with massive force. Each flame placed itself within the iridescent heavens with a cry, one that bore a great resemblance to a lion's roar. The author's eyes filled themselves with those same flames...and...

_**...tears.**_

"_**YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET AWAY WITH WHAT YOU'VE DONE, PAL! I'M TAKING SHUICHI BACK, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!"**_

In the manner of an amused scientist, Deus folded his arms and laughed at the glowering novelist. "We shall see if you're able to reclaim your precious property." he said, his voice dripping venomous sarcasm. His mind created another reaction to Eiri's outburst, but was unable to execute it; Shuichi's prince had executed his first attack upon him. With the execution of that attack came the ignition of a fiery duel.

Tokyo's greatest author had never entered a duel before, and he had certainly received a heartless demon as an opponent. However, he had ignited the battle and immediately became comfortable with the ways of his daggers. Through them, he could feel the strength of their previous owner...and was able to carry out his moves with that same strength. With astounding elegance, speed and agility, Eiri Uesugi brought a barricade upon his opponent with no mercy. Deus, however, refused to submit without a roar from his own end. With his own weapon, which was a glaive drenched in black venom, he attacked his enemy ferociously, bearing a desire to snuff out his opponent's life.

Minutes were no more than seconds. Both warriors clashed against each other at the speed of light. Daggers struck a glaive of immortal darkness, the glaive struck against a heart of true light...time carried the two combatants through a turbulent storm, one they would never forget. In the past, Deus had encountered many powerful beings, but none of them possessed Eiri Uesugi's power. The outsider fought with the ferocity of a thousand lions, and carried no weariness about him. The sovereign had surely provoked poignant flames, but was amused by the presentation of a new challenge. He carried out his attacks with equal speed, unwilling to let up on his opponent for a moment.

Eiri Uesugi's heart cried out for comfort. It cried out for the familiar warmth it had fallen in love with. It cried out for the tenderness it had been blessed with, for the gentleness it had been given. Every blow upon his opponent brought about the birth of teardrops, for he had been without his songbird's smile for an eternity. It was as if Shuichi had been nothing more than a dream, a mirage created by the heavens themselves.

He thought of everything. He thought of the songbird's smile, the songbird's beautiful pink hair...his pristine heart and words. He thought of the embraces they had shared...the kisses they had shared...

_**...the passionate nights they had shared...**_

With a loud cry of sorrow, the novelist delivered a savage blow to his enemy. Just thinking of Shuichi in another's arms **_tormented _**him.

Deus placed himself a few feet away from his opponent, who was lost in heavy breaths. The dark sovereign emitted more laughter from his heart, his eyes gleaming with dangerous venom. The look on Eiri's face would have shattered an average human being's soul, but the prince was immune to his combatant's fire. The look on the author's face amused him...the same way a toy amused an infant. Oceans tore themselves from Eiri's eyes as he drove a stake through his opponent's soul...and thought upon the memories he had created with his beloved Shuichi. Every smile drifted into his soul, and brought a golden wind of warmth upon his saddened heart. Unfortunately, each wind strengthened his sorrow and brought forth more tears.

* * *

_I always tried to figure out...why you kept yourself near me._

_I could never understand...why you always smiled at me..._

_...why you always held me close to you._

_I could never understand...why you chose me to be your lover..._

_...but now everything's CLEAR._

_It's all crystal clear to me now, Shuichi. I know why you chose me._

_You chose me to be your prince...because your dreams led you to me._

_You kept yourself near me...because you believed in me._

_You're still near me...because you believe in me! You believe in US!_

_AND I'M NOT GOING TO LET THIS SCUMBUCKET RUIN WHAT WE HAVE!

* * *

_

The battle within the land of dreams rose to a feverish, scorching hot pitch. The two warriors delivered brutal attacks to each other, but failed to land any life-threatening hits. Tears soared from Eiri Uesugi's eyes as he continued to lash at his tormentor, his heart pounding upon memories of his beloved vocalist. The expiration of five minutes brought them apart, and placed them within their own thoughts. The novelist was heaving with fiery, vehement hatred; the dark sovereign was simple hovering within the air, still bearing a calm smile about his sadistic features.

"Well. It looks as though you've managed to gain some special toys, _Yuki. _I believe my respect for you has increased dramtically."

Eiri's tone would have traumatized an infant for life.

"My name is **_Uesugi_**, pal. Do I need to _drill _it into those ears of yours?"

"I'll tell that to your _'Shuichi', _once I get back to riding him."

Incurable, indescribable anger boiled within his blood. It was mad, it was savage...it was unlike anything he had EVER experienced before.

"You..."

He tried to come up with a name to call him, but the power of profanity had fallen short. There weren't any suitable names for Deus. He defied them all.

"...you **_really _**want me to kill you, **_don't you?"_**

"I don't know if you can. We shall see, though. Hopefully, you'll be able to make a scratch on me...before your precious lover becomes **_mine."_**

Without another word, Deus forced his opponent to re-enter the realm of the pool. Before Eiri had a chance to react to his enemy's verbal attack, he found himself in the iridescent mist of blue water once again...and in the incandescent mist of his lover's words. Images rose to the surface of his heart as time carried him through immaculate waves, but there was something different about the images of his songbird. He wasn't the one he had come to love passionately; Shuichi was appearing to him as his 'future self', as a vocalist that had been strengthened by the luminous beauty of time. Soft words entered the novelist's soul, radiant with the hope of an eternal dream.

"_When you find me...I may not be the one you fell in love with. I may not be the one you love so deeply. Just a warning."_

Minutes elapsed before Eiri Uesugi found himself at the beginning of his journey; within the warmth of Anuryn. His body was drenched in cold moisture, which gave him the gentle scent of rain, and his eyes were filled with incandescent oceans. He was upon the surface of the pool, thinking upon the events he had just witnessed...

"I may not...be the one...you fell in love with..."

_What in the hell did that mean? What are you trying to tell me, Shu-chan?_

Unfortunately, time did not allow him a chance to recover from shock and sorrow. In a flash, his eyes met the urgent eyes of Lady Niha.

"_Peita. _I am afraid we don't have time to speak upon your visions. Your companions are in the midst of a battle! We must give them our assistance!"


	14. Fire

Welcome to 'Fire', the next chapter of 'Angel's Heart'! Things are about to kick themselves into high gear, so I hope you're all ready! I'd like to share a helpful note concerning Eiri Uesugi, before we begin. He has adopted a pair of crescent moon daggers, therefore he has the fighting style of Talim. That character was featured within SC2 and SC3. If you aren't familiar with her or the 'Soul Calibur' series, let me just say that Eiri fights with incredible speed and rapid attacks.

* * *

_Theme of 'Fire': Battle themes of Kingdom Hearts 2 OST

* * *

_

Fire was roaring within the confinement of the Anurynian Palace. Cries were rising toward the night air, filled with the blood chilling power of a thunderstorm. Footsteps were rapidly falling upon the darkened grounds, blades were clashing against claws, and eyes were meeting vicious songs of thirst. Dark forms were pouring throughout the kingdom, searching high and low for their fix of blood. However, their combatants weren't to be taken lightly; the remaining Anurynians within the palace were courageous fighters, ones that refused to be removed without a fight.

The center of the palace was the location of fiery activity. Roars were tearing themselves from the throats of demons, and the walls were swiftly drenching themselves in shelters. They seemed to be frightened of danger's thick coats, for their actions spoke louder than words. A child's fear was lingering within the sacred walls. Battle cries were reverberating off of them; they bounced about with the agility of balls, fervently laughing with malicious intent. Streams of blood were striking the blackened walls, but the owners of those streams were immune to pain. At the moment, they were completely oblivious to everything with the exception of the battlefire.

Eiri Uesugi's companions were within the center of the palace, exercising their newfound talents. Each of them were highly equipped with new battle skills; Hiroshi Nakano had the soul of an Anurynian Summoner, Ryuichi Sakuma was now a FireBlade Master, Claude K.Winchester had an upgraded pair of 'friends', Reiji was equipped with the abilities of a Solar Mage, and Suguru Fujisaki was in the role of an Anurynian Black Mage.

Two groups had been formed within the small team; the remaining members of Bad Luck were fighting as one team, with the support of Reiji. Ryuichi Sakuma and Tatsuha Uesugi, who had been given the soul of the High Priestess, were fighting as one unit, standing side-by-side with unfathomable power. When the battle began, all of them prevented Anurynians from falling into mortal danger; they removed all frightened Anurynians from harm, with the love of dutiful parents. As soon as they were removed from ferocious lines of fire, the battle rose to a fervent pitch; the entities of darkness carried themselves through the palace in the form of floods.

Time rushed by at the speed of light, fueled by desperate fear. It had the soul of a human being, who was being hunted by an unknown villain. Flames of vigorous devastation soared throughout the halls of the palace, radiant with the unshakable power of a lion. Several eternities struck the valiant warriors, but none of them were aware of time's presence. Both teams were near invincibility, for their bonds had been strengthened by their experiences within the dream pool. All of them felt as if they were tied by family bonds, and all of them were determined to support each other.

Thirty minutes elapsed within the battleground. Hiroshi found himself trapped within a corner, without any options upon his plate. Demons had him in the position of a forlorn kitten, and his condition wasn't making any improvements upon the situation. He was weary, for he had never performed such heavy duties before; summoning monsters was no easy task, especially not for an outsider. Holding upon an Epireon (an Anurynian monster) required a heavy amount of strength and concentration; only those with high endurance levels were able to endure the tasks.

His last monster, who had come from the depths of legend, was forced back into slumber due to his heavy exhaustion. His weariness wasn't uncommon; all novices within Summoner ranks were vulnerable to heavy doses of exhaustion. The demons that had him backed into a black corner were laughing him, jeering at him with the vibes of sadistic bullies. Fear was running throughout his eyes, for novices had very little options to choose from, and being an outsider didn't help much.

Seconds flew by, marked only by the vehement speed of sound. Claws made a lunge at him, which made him fear for the length of his life. The Summoner closed his eyes, pretty sure that his death was about to etch itself into time's stream...

_Great...just great...I'm trapped..._

A cry pierced his ears. It belonged to Suguru Fujisaki, who seemed to be nearby...

"_**HIROSHI!"**_

Fear caused his heartbeat to increase itself. Sweat formed itself upon his brow and fell from his heart in rivers, which caused him to shiver uncontrollably. There was no way out for him. He was trapped, trapped in a terminal situation. His heartbeat quickened, the claws came closer...

...a moment passed, which brought about **_immoderate_** relief.

A beam of golden fire pierced the night air, which signaled the arrival of a rescuer. An entity made a swift descent from the air, drenched in iridescent fire. The identity of the rescuer was unknown at the moment, but he created a dazzling entrance. He fell from the skies, carrying the splendor of a vigilant falcon, then descended upon the demons with frightened speed. His blades pierced the heart of Hiroshi's tormentor, then they shredded the other dark entities. In mere seconds, the Summoner was left alone with his savior.

"Ummm..."

Hiro looked upon the face of his rescuer, unable to recognize him. His heart told him that his savior was a close friend, but his physical appearance caused him to question his own sanity. The warrior was clothed in impressive black attire, which could have ignited a hunt throughout the streets of Japan. Crescent moon daggers were within his hands, ready for more action. His eyes were filled with intense fire, and both were covered in blankets of newborn strength. As soon his the warrior spoke to him, however, his identity became clear.

"You okay?"

Shock split through Hiro's heart and caused it to crack open.

"_**Yuki?"**_

Eiri Uesugi (who was no longer fond of his 'pen name') took one last look upon the shocked Summoner, then darted off into the fray. Lady Niha, who was on her way to becoming the Queen of Sovereign, had joined the fray as soon as he made his entrance; the sovereign was wreaking havoc upon her enemies with fiery power, wielding a spear. Both newcomers were tearing the dark ranks apart, but there seemed to be no end to them.

Minutes flew by without a trace. The expiration of twenty minutes brought about a flurry of frustration, and failed to bring about a shred of relief. Tatsuha Uesugi removed his brother from the receiving end of a hit, and took the hit himself. The contact created a heavy wound upon him, but he refused to let it bother him. However, his brother was not about to accept his noble act.

"_What in the hell did you do that for?"_

Tatsuha's eyes were on the dark entities, filled with fervent wildfire. Ryuichi was at his side, ready to give his life for him. In a short amount of time, the two of them had developed a passionate bond; unfortunately, current circumstances prevented them from carrying out passion. "I did it to protect you, bro." the priest said firmly, keeping his hands focused on his blade. He was the first sword-wielding priest of Anuryn, and was determined to make a good first impression.

"_**I don't think these guys are gonna let up on us! Who's in charge of this crap anyway!"**_

As of on cue, the dark entities brought their reign to a halt. Time froze itself upon the battleground; it was as if someone had pressed the 'pause' button on the predators. Confusion blossomed throughout the battlefield like spring water entering a flask, but that transformed itself into shock with the answer to Tatsuha's question.

"Why, I thought you would _never _ask! It's me, dear Tatsuha!"

Disbelief crashed into the priest's eyes like a thunderbolt. He exchanged glances with his brother, who evidently had failed to recognize him within an instant. The newborn warrior was apparently exhausted; his memories of Shuichi, _and _the verbal assaults of Deus, were tormenting him _badly. _The ringleader of the battle released his cheerful voice into the air, but his heart was FAR from pure.

"I'm surprised you didn't recognize me. I made quite an impression on your brother, you know."

Eiri's eyes widened in horror. Tatsuha's eyes widened in hatred.

_**The others were instantly immersed in severe confusion.**_

The priest released a loud cry of wrath, which caused Eiri's heart to _freeze._

"_**YOU! YOU WERE THE ONE THAT SCREWED MY BROTHER!"**_

An entity dressed in a black cloak made an entrance within the cold air. He was a young man, one that was a few years older than Eiri, and possessed short brown hair. There was a sickening smile upon his face...one that made Tatsuha want to _vomit. _Eiri clasped a hand over his mouth in horror, feeling as if he were trapped within a nightmare.

"_**You can't be alive! I KILLED YOU!"**_

"I know you did, dear _'Yuki'. _Fortunately, my dear pal _Deus _brought me back to life. That was pretty nice of him, eh?"

Reiji tossed the enraged Tatsuha a look of desperate confusion. The wrathful priest kept his eyes on the intruder, filled with overwhelming fury.

"That's 'Yuki Kitazawa', my brother's first lover. The two of them were pretty passionate about each other for a while, then things turned _sour. _That _son of a bitch _gathered his friends, gathered his friends and _jumped him. _They all took their turns _riding on him..._and then that bastard **_tried to kill him! My brother fought back and ended up the victor, but he came out with some SERIOUS trauma."_**

"About that..."

Yuki Kitazawa brought himself closer to Eiri Uesugi, who looked as if he were about to explode like a stack of dynamite. The initial shock had worn off; hatred was eating at him once again, in its full, inexplicable power.

"Listen, _Yuki. _I'm **_really, REALLY sorry _**about what happened between us. I really liked you!"

Eiri's heart struck another violent chord.

'_Liked'?_

"I'd _really _like to start over, you know. We could share a new life together! Forget about the shrimp you're after! Who needs that pony anyway? Why waste your time riding a worthless pony when you could ride something **_real?"_**

_That was the straw that broke the camel's back._

_**He had heard enough insults from Deus.**_

"Niha," the novelist said in a flash, his voice bearing vehement hatred. "take my friends out of here."

Those words were met with massive opposition.

"_What? You can't-"_

"_Yuki, you can't be serious-"_

"_We can't leave you here-"_

"_Be reasonable, Eiri!"_

"I'll be fine." was the prince's harsh response. His arms were outstretched in front of the group; he wanted to protect his beloved companions from his eternal enemy, and felt that it was _his _battle to deal with...alone.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be all right. _This _is **_my _**problem anyway. I need to take care of this. Alone."

Hiro looked into Eiri's face worriedly, bearing the gentleness of a fretful mother. "Are you sure?" he asked gently, unwilling to leave his best friend's lover behind. Eiri didn't remove his eyes from Kitazawa for a _second._

"_**I'm sure. Niha, get them out of here!"**_

The remaining sovereign of Anuryn rushed his companions from the battlefield, even though **_none _**of them wanted to leave Eiri behind. Tatsuha Uesugi took one last at his brother...

...who was exhausted from...

_**...sorrow.**_

_You don't know...how much I need you...how much I MISS you..._

_Damn everything, Shuichi...I just..._

_...want you BACK..._


	15. Tears

A big 'HELLO' to everyone out there! I am happy to announce that I've gained a couple of new readers, and new friends always make me happy! Thank you for reading 'Angel's Heart' everyone! I can't tell you how happy you've made me!

Before we get back to the battleground, let me just share a few facts on the fighting styles. The character's fighting styles were inspired by several works; Hiro has been given the style of Yuna from Final Fantasy X, K has the role of Dante from Devil May Cry, Ryuichi fights with the style of SunShangXiang (Dynasty Warriors series), and Tatsuha has the fighting style of Cassandra, who also dwells in the 'Soul Calibur' series. Suguru's Black Mage role was inspired by the 'Black Mage' dress sphere in 'Final Fantasy X-2'. I should have mentioned that Kitazawa was inspired by the character 'Demyx', who makes comical appearances in the masterpiece known as Kingdom Hearts 2.

Now, back to the show! Please enjoy!

* * *

_Theme of 'Tears': 'Passion' from Uteda Hikaru, battle themes of 'Kingdom Hearts 2'.

* * *

_

The two combatants were all alone, left in the center of a fiery battlefield. Crimson flames were dancing around them, bearing the grins of merry spectators about their souls. Their eyes were locked onto each other, raging with their own poisons. One warrior had his eyes soaked in incurable, unfathomable hatred; the other had a smirk upon his face, which emitted the carelessness of a nonchalant, amused child. His facial expression was similar to the one Deus carried, which brought no end to his enemy's pain.

Eiri Uesugi's hands were locked upon his daggers. His hands were throbbing violently, screaming for the chance to gain relief, but their owner refused to end their suffering. His soul's cries had more power, and it was crying for the end of sorrow. His bloodstream was pulsating vibrantly, filling his veins with an emotion that was excruciatingly difficult to describe. The emotion, he knew, was born along the lines of hatred, but it was something stronger than that. It was the vengeful child of hatred, an infant that refused to tie itself to the rules of description. It was harsh, bottomless and unfathomable...something that had never been acknowledged by humanity before.

Yuki Kitazawa was observing his enemy's anger with sickening mirth. He was a sadistic child, one that took great pleasure in tormenting broken animals. In his hands was his chosen tool of death; a glaive drenched in black poison, which bore a striking resemblance to the glaive of Deus. His eyes were filled with frightening flames, flames that would have dealt permanent damage to a toddler. After an eternity of silence, he ignited a conversation which struck even more flames in Eiri's heart.

"So, I see you've gotten sexier. Nice bod, my friend."

Eiri placed himself into a fighting stance, one that would have created thoughts of a pissed-off lion. He was far from pissed, however; no doubt about it.

"I see you haven't changed a bit, _dear friend! _Or should I address you as my 'first bed buddy'?"

White fire lit the tips of his daggers. They were weapons that could feel their owner's emotions, and Eiri was coming through **_clear._** Kitazawa sent mirthful laughter in his direction, which caused the fire to transform itself into banners. His daggers took on a powerful sheen, one that shamed the luster of moonlight.

"I see you've got jokes too. You know, you're really cute!"

Not another word was said. With fire streaming from his daggers, Eiri Uesugi made the first attack upon his opponent. His new duel began in a flash, and it instantly found the speed of light. His first attack failed to make contact with Kitazawa; the demon swatted it away as if it had been a poke from a housefly. After the removal of that attack, he began his own assault upon his enemy, and the two of them fell into rapid combat. The dark entity was driven by madness; the entity of light was driven by anger, hatred and sorrow.

Daggers struck the blade of a merciless glaive. Battle cries tore themselves from Eiri; gleeful laughter tore itself from Yuki Kitazawa. Eiri went at him with the ferocity of a heartbroken lion, Yuki went at _him _with the joy of a relentless child. The dark entity avoided most of his attacks, but several of them successfully struck flesh. Eiri's attacks were fervent and quick; each of them flew by at the speed of light, and they carried **_IMMENSE _**power. Both of them were evenly matched, but there was only one problem.

Eiri was exhausted.

Yuki was ready to kill.

Five minutes elapsed. Both of them took to the air, locked in an indescribably fierce duel. Blade struck blade as they carried out their battle, each of their faces bearing their own emotions. Sparks of fire emerged from each clash, and hearts pounded against their eternal imprisonment. Eiri's eyes were locked upon Yuki's; the novelist's eyes were filled with immoderate hatred, and his enemy's eyes were pages of horrifying glee. The entity of darkness was apparently enjoying himself, and had no wish to end the battle.

Two minutes.

Yuki delivered a savage blow to his enemy, which sent him several feet into the ground. Unable to make an instant recovery from such a blow, Eiri slowly retrieved his daggers and placed a hand on his head, which was emitting a stream of hot red blood. His head was spinning, his entire body was aching...**_he was trapped in the middle of a nightmare..._**

"Damn it..."

_Shuichi..._

A battlecry made a descent from Kitazawa's soul. Fear caused Eiri to place his eyes within the sky, but that was the only reaction he could make. A ball of energy fell upon him in a flash, with the _smallest _of warnings. It kept its victim within its confining walls and tormented him, accompanied by the rapturous laughter of its creator. That barricade of pain didn't last too long however; the light of the energy ball vanished...

...and Eiri found himself under Kitazawa's grasp.

The dark entity had the brokenhearted warrior by the throat...**_smiling._**

Tears formed themselves within Eiri's eyes, radiant with sorrow...

"You...you filthy, _stinking _bastard..."

The expiration of a second brought about the most **_horrifying _**event.

Yuki Kitazawa sent his enemy a long, passionate kiss.

He wasn't able to escape it. He was so tired...so lonely...all he could do...was submit to the ravenous, meaningless thirst...

The kiss became deeper, **_heavier..._**

A heavy, slithering tongue entered his mouth and devoured him, ate him, consumed him...

Hands wrapped themselves around him...and **_squeezed _**him...

"_**Souls of Stars, bring to me your strongest fury! I plead with you, unleash it now! Heaven's Fury!"**_

Those powerful words were delivered **_flawlessly; _**they entered their ears with dynamic, awe-inspiring power. With the departure of those words came the arrival of ethereal light. A beam of topaz light emitted itself from a pair of hands, accompanied by angel feathers, and it made contact with Eiri's tormentor. It caused the dark entity to barrel through the nearest wall, and Eiri fell to the cold floor...**_in tears. _**His eyes searched for the creator of the attack, while his tormentor made an attempt to recover. The identity of the newcomer made itself clear in no more than a _second._

"_**NOW YOU'VE DONE IT! YOU'RE DEALING WITH ME NOW, KITAZAWA!"**_

Eiri's heart jumped into a pool of light. It was none other than Tatsuha Uesugi, wielding an empyrean sword. However, there was a striking difference about his brother; there was a fire within the priest's eyes, and it was immeasurably **_strong._** Normally, his brother was a goof-off, one that loved to participate in childish activities...but at the moment, he looked like a werewolf that was ready to kill. His priest uniform, which equaled the beauty of his brother's, was the perfect accompaniment to his emotions; it shimmered with inexplicable power as his eyes burned into Kitazawa's shocked heart. The sword-wielding priest was **_far_** from angry. He was pissed, and ready to deal some **_serious _**damage.

"Tatsuha! I thought I asked Niha-"

The priest rushed over to his brother's side. He extended a hand to him, which was instantly accepted. "It's not like any of us wanted to leave you here, Eiri." he said warmly, emitting affection he had never emitted before. Tears welled within his eyes as he brought his brother into a short embrace. "Are you all right?" he asked, and received a sorrowful answer.

"I've been better."

The priest's eyes took on a divine shade of blue. With a healing spell, he removed Eiri's head wound and gave him a pat on the back, not wanting to see his sibling in any more pain. "Tatsuha," the exhausted novelist said, his voice bearing no strength within it. His eyes fell upon the priest's bright smile.

"You don't have to stay. This is _my _fight, remember?"

There was something new about Tatsuha. He wasn't the same playful, mischievous moron that had irritated Eiri on several occasions. He was someone _warm, _someone that had the heart of a child and the soul of a healer. He ruffled his brother's hair playfully, shedding crystal blue tears. "Hey." he said gently, still smiling. "It's _our _fight. You're my _brother. _You didn't really think I'd leave you with this creep, after everything he put you through?"

Disbelief filled Eiri's weary eyes. "But...what about the oth-"

"They're fine." the priest said firmly, his eyes emitting immortal love. He created a firm grip upon his sword and placed his eyes upon Kitazawa, who was several yards away. "If anyone should be asking someone to leave, _I _should be the one asking _you _to jet. Since you don't want to leave, though, we'll do this...**_together."_**

_Together._

Eiri had never acknowledged his brother's existence before. He had never shared any warmth, any affection with him. He had never even smiled at him...

...but now...

Tatsuha had placed himself in front of him, evidently ready to die for him. The priest was unstoppable; his eyes were dangerous, almost as powerful as Kitazawa's eyes.

_**Eiri had never seen such a light within his eyes before.**_

"Tatsuha..."

"I sat on the sidelines last time." the priest said sternly, keeping his eyes on Kitazawa. "I'm **_not _**about to stand by and watch _again. _Let's take this bastard out together."

"It's not like it'll matter much, dear old Tatsuha." Kitazawa chimed in, unwilling to be ignored. "Your brother doesn't have much strength left in him. It won't take much more to bring him down."

"_**You two-faced SCUMBAG!"**_

The word 'scumbag' was delivered in a way that shamed not only profanity, but the entire vocabulary. Kitazawa cringed at the word's delivery, then resumed his sadistic demeanor. "Name-calling isn't nice, you know." he said, pretending to bear the sorrow of a confused canine. "I've got feelings, in case you haven't noticed. After all, didn't I scream when your brother gunned me down?"

Tatsuha was **_FAR FROM PISSED._**

"_**YOU DESERVED EVERYTHING YOU GOT, PAL! I WOULD HAVE TORN YOU FROM LIMB TO LIMB, IF I HAD BEEN IN EIRI'S PLACE! AND HERE'S A NEWSFLASH FOR YOU; EIRI ISN'T YOUR PROPERTY! SHUICHI ISN'T DEUS' PROPERTY! THOSE TWO BELONG WITH EACH OTHER!"**_

Without another word, the priest threw himself at Kitazawa, releasing cries of fury upon his hated opponent. The two of them locked themselves in a new duel, one that excluded the heartbroken blade warrior. Their duel was even faster than the duel with Eiri; Tatsuha was driven through battle motions by wrath, and wasn't about to let up on his enemy. The priest had the upper hand in the battlefield because of his purity, and also because of his emotions.

Two minutes elapsed, which was a lifetime for the spectator. The two of them broke away from each other, heaving from the battle's fire. Tatsuha was still ready to kill, though. Kitazawa looked as if he had been dragged all over the world, and could find no way to escape from his predator. The priest took a look at his saddened brother and delivered one of his trademark winks, which caused his brother's heart to jump once again.

"You ready?"

Puppy-like fear filled Eiri's eyes. He gazed upon his brother's cheerful face for a moment, unable to comprehend his brother's newborn affection. That confusion caused the priest to take his hand, and squeeze it. "Come on. I'm right here with you." he said gently, his voice bearing the warmth of a life-long friend about it. "We'll finish this **_together. _**On the count of three."

He placed his back against Eiri's and grabbed his hands, with closed eyes. For a reason he could not yet explain, Eiri felt compelled to close his eyes as well. The priest raised their hands into the air, which ignited the arrival of pure, ethereal waterfalls. Translucent light fell over both of them and bathed them in serenity, which was the child of pure love. Ribbons of soft purple light wrapped themselves around the two, accompanied by angel feathers. After a moment of silence, the priest released soft, distant words...words that echoed throughout the halls of the battlefield...

"_Life, light and spirit, grant us everlasting protection. Feel the spirit of our core, release to us your warmth...fill us with undying light."_

Those words removed themselves from Eiri's heart, which increased their brotherly bond. Both of them echoed those words as light continued to tie them together...and after an eternity, the light vanished. Tatsuha was left in a brand-new outfit; one that bore a playful resemblance to a biker, yet had the awe-inspiring power of a guardian angel. Eiri, however, was left in the same attire...but his weapons were emitting a newborn light.

Both of them were tied in unison. They were no longer two separate individuals; they were one heart, one body and one soul. With wildfire in their eyes, the brothers took the position of dutiful soldiers; they placed their chests against each others and held out a hand, their eyes glowing with the same fire. Their voices were tinged by their unique beauty, but they rang out the same forceful fire.

"Heavens, hear my call. Shatter the one before us; strike him with all of your might!"

Eiri took Tatsuha's hands and squeezed them for comfort...as both of their bodies emitted a powerful wave of light. Their newborn light flooded the battleground and eliminated their vision for a moment, but they could still feel each other, see each other. After another eternity, the light from their hearts vanished...and left them with an exhausted, mortally wounded Kitazawa. The dark entity had a hand on one knee, and was evidently down for the count. The priest, still holding his brother's hands, took one look at him and laughed.

"I don't believe we didn't _enough. _Maybe I should call all of my friends out and have them _jump you, _huh?"

Breathing heavily, the knight of darkness took one last look at the two of them, emitting the heaviest winds of evil...before he was consumed by immortal winds.

"I wish you the best of luck in getting your _pony _back, Eiri."

Without another word, the soul of Yuki Kitazawa vanished into the depths of the night. The two siblings were left to each other, lost in the emotions of the cold night. Silence kept them together for another eternity, then Tatsuha Uesugi brought his brother into an ever deeper embrace. Without even thinking of Kitazawa's sudden disappearance, he gave his brother a loving pat on the back...still wearing the same, usual smile.

"Hey. You and I make a good team, bro."

Eiri didn't answer. He **_couldn't _**answer.

Sadness instantly replaced happiness within Tatsuha's eyes. His brother's soul was broken, trembling in the midst of the darkest night. He had never seen his brother in such pain before, and was **_not _**enjoying himself.

"Eiri, I..."

Something miraculous occurred within the next second.

The weary novelist buried his head in Tatsuha's chest...and...

_**...began to sob.**_

Minutes crept by the two of them, radiant with the evanescent beauty of Anuryn. Tatsuha kept his arms wrapped around his tired brother, shedding his own waterfalls through closed eyes. Never before had they shared such warm contact, so their embrace was filled with unmistakable beauty. The priest's tears fell upon his brother's head, each of them carrying a desire to end the broken warrior's pain.

At first, the warrior's sobs were soft and gentle. The passage of time caused them to strengthen themselves, and he wrapped _his _arms around his brother. Tatsuha's heart shattered into a million pieces at this contact. His brother was sad...so sad...

...it was terrible, seeing him in so much pain...

"Mika...damn you, where are you when I _need _you..."

_**Sis...she could have helped him...Seguchi could have done wonders too...damn it all...**_

"Are you two all right?"

That voice belonged to none other than Hiroshi Nakano. Tatsuha removed his eyes from Eiri's head and looked upon the faces of their friends; they had re-entered the battlefield several seconds ago, and became aware of Eiri's sobbing. Reiji's eyes were locked upon the broken novelist, along with Lady Niha's mournful eyes. The priest began to stroke his brother's head, then delivered an answer. "I am." he stated sadly. "Eiri isn't."

The tiny group made their way over to him, driven by intense concern and sorrow. Claude K.Winchester knelt down at their side, his fatherly face bearing tender compassion. Eiri didn't remove his face from Tatsuha's chest, even though he felt the presence of his worried friends. "He isn't hurt, is he?" K asked the priest, who shook his head. Suguru Fujisaki took another place at their side, his own face shining with profuse sadness. Eiri just sounded so lonely...

"Eiri...what's wrong?"

_**He regretted delivering that question as soon as Eiri gave the answer.**_

"I..."

_**It was like listening to a dying puppy whimper for assistance.**_

"I...I miss..."

He choked on the words he had created, then found a way around the massive lump within his throat.

"...I miss Shuichi..."

Oceans emerged from his companion's eyes. Even K, who was normally calm and collected, couldn't hold back oceans. Their chests began to burn, their eyes began to throb...every part of their body began to cry out in pain. Reiji clasped a hand over her mouth, her eyes gushing out waterfalls of starlight. Suguru, also lost in tears, came to her assistance with the noble warmth of a prince. Hiroshi exchanged sorrowful glances with Lady Niha, who was lost in her own torrent of pain.

"Hey hey...it's all right, bro. Everything's gonna be fine...you'll see..."

Ryuichi Sakuma kept his eyes on the Uesugi sibilings. Like Tatsuha, he had endured many changes himself; he was no longer an irritating, bunny-loving freak of nature. However, the spark of his heart was still present. His chest was burning through an ocean of tears, but there was a powerful light within his eyes...and it bore a striking resemblance...

_**...to anger.**_

"_**Hey Eiri!"**_

Eiri's watery, mournful eyes fell into Ryuichi Sakuma's wrathful eyes. The eyes of Nittle Grasper's beloved member were filled with a blend of bottomless affection, sorrow and wrath. His voice was no different.

"I can't even begin to fathom what you're going through. I _know _things are weird..."

His voice became painfully hoarse, which made things worse for everyone else.

"...I _know _things are out of control...but let me tell you something. I've known Shuichi for years. I knew him...back when Nittle Grasper first started. I knew him _waaay _before you even knew his _name. _I...saw him one day...over lunch...and...he told me...that...he had seen his 'Prince Charming'. He told me that he couldn't _wait _to meet him, told me that he couldn't bear to go another _day _without his precious prince. He..."

A lump developed within _his _throat, and caused his eyes to _burn _savagely.

"...told me that you were strong. Told me that you could do _anything. _When your last book came out, he couldn't stop talking about _that _either. He carried it around with him, hugging it...holding it as if it were some sort of lifeline. He thought you were invincible, Eiri. He _still _thinks you can do anything."

Those words brought even more tears from Eiri's eyes, and they brought _more _tears from Ryuichi's. However, the member of Nittle Grasper continued to share a piece of his mind.

"I _know _things are hard right now, but you've got to stand tall! **_Get up, straighten up, and show us what you're made of! Shuichi wouldn't want you to act like this! He'd cheer you on!"_**

_Shuichi wouldn't want you to act like this!_

Thunderbolts pierced Eiri Uesugi's eyes as he realized something.

_**Ryuichi was right.**_

"_**You've got to stand strong, Eiri! Don't let that bastard Deus drag you down! Shuichi's waiting for you!"**_

"_**HE'S RIGHT!"**_

Reiji was the next one to take a stand. She was famous for her fire, and that fire was showing itself in full force. Many of her associates referred to her as 'Wildcat'. She was placing solid truth to that nickname through a sheet of fiery anger.

"_**SHOW THAT CREEP WHAT HE'S MADE OF! DON'T LET ANYONE GET YOU DOWN, EIRI! WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF! IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO SHOW OFF YOUR STUFF!"**_

Waterfalls flew from Eiri's eyes as his heart fell into a complex blend of emotions; sadness, anger, sorrow and happiness. All of them created a heavy burden, one that was excruciatingly hard to bear.

_It hurts...everything hurts..._

Everything became blurry. Happiness overwhelmed him, but it was consumed by pain. His body became heavier...and heavier...

"Shuichi..."

* * *

-Tatsuha received upgrades to his fighting style in the midst of the chapter, thanks to my participation in a 'Kingdom Hearts 2' battle and the last chapters of 'Karaoke Love', which was created by Lady Kiwi. His outfit has a resemblance to Sora's new outfit, and his style became a combination of Sora's, chaos' and Cassandra's. Small note; chaos dwells within the realm of 'Xenosaga'.

Stay tuned for more, dear friends!


	16. Confessions

Welcome to 'Confessions', the next installment of 'An Angel's Dream'. As you all know, my friends, this was formerly 'Angel's Heart'. However, thanks to the inspiration from a special source, the title was altered on Saturday night. The title was formed within the hands of a true genius, and it fits the story to a 't'. Let me explain why. Shuichi, the angel of our tale, dreamt for Eiri for _years. _His dream of a true prince is about to come alive.

**_Dear friends, if you like the way this story is going, then don't thank me. Don't thank 'Kingdom Hearts 2' either, even though it is the greatest invention since bread. Thank the author of 'Immortal Fate'.

* * *

_**

_Theme of 'Confessions'; 'Passion' by Uteda Hikaru, 'Isaac' by Madonna.

* * *

_

Several minutes after Eiri Uesugi's collapse, his loyal friends placed him into a comforting haven. His new haven, which was distant from the one he had shared with Shuichi, was filled with undying tranquility. It offered enough peace for every broken soul within the universe; its walls were soaked in divine luminescence, and its features held a deep sense of golden urgency about them. Unfortunately, the room's warmth was unable to pierce the novelist's broken heart; he had enough pain to span a thousand lifetimes. The room's inability to soothe pain also found the hearts of his new roommates, who were unable to place themselves within slumber. All of them had been dragged through an arduous day, but all of them were excruciatingly restless. The exposure of strong emotion had tired them all down to the core, but none of them were able to close their eyes with smiles.

Hiroshi Nakano, Tatsuha Uesugi and Ryuichi Sakuma kept themselves up for many hours of the night. All of them kept a close eye upon their charge, who had gained their eternal affection. Eiri's display of pain had broken all of their hearts, and had caused the birth of guilt within the member of Nittle Grasper. Ryuichi felt like a father that had treated a child unfairly, but he was quickly comforted by his faithful companions. All of them reassured him that Eiri wouldn't be angry with him, and he had done the right thing. Their newborn hero couldn't afford to spend his time in sorrow, for he had a task to complete. Despite that fact, however, they all could feel what he was going through.

Their friend had spent his days in the warm company of an angel. Now that angel was gone, and he was suffering _badly. _The author was in a _massive _amount of pain; every part of his body was on fire and breathing was an excruciating task. Not even slumber could soothe his pain. The warrior's face was twisted in pain, and his body was unable to keep itself still. His roommates couldn't tear their eyes from him, for he was no different from a child lost within a demon's nightmare.

Three hours passed with the sadistic agility of an experienced murderer. Ryuichi Sakuma and Tatsuha Uesgui were trapped within heavy slumber; both of them had unwillingly succumbed to slumber several minutes ago, during a conversation about their beloved Shuichi Shindou. Hiroshi Nakano was dragged into slumber as well, but the expiration of three hours brought about his awakening. Due to severe emotions, he was unable to submit to the waves of peace. He was still as restless as ever, and could not bring himself to sleep.

He silently removed himself from his 'bed', which had been nothing more than a place on the floor. He had unwittingly succumbed to sleep during the same conversation, and found himself on the cold ground. With fearful eyes, he looked upon the faces of his silent companions, then fell upon the tormented form of Eiri Uesugi.

The body of the warrior was silent, but his face was still twisted in pain. Heavy beads of sweat were coursing down his face, and his body temperature was painfully high. He was no different from a child locked within a grave ailment. The guitarist of Bad Luck placed a hand on his arm and shook him, emitting the concern of a tender parent.

"Eiri. _Eiri."_

Surprisingly, the novelist's eyes snapped open. One thing became apparent to Hiroshi; the author had never really gone to sleep. Frustration gave its power to immeasurable sorrow, and that mixture brought itself forth in the Uesugi's eyes. Stunned by his sudden awakening, the author darted his eyes throughout the room, but then he found the face of his visitor. Appreciation filled his weary, sorrowful eyes. "Thanks." he said with his usual placidness, even though his appreciation was profuse. "I needed that."

Hiro took on the role of a desperate child. He tugged on the author's arm, emitting the heart-rending fear of a worried toddler. He was no longer in the shoes of a fretful mother. He looked like a child that had just been tormented by a mutilated fairy tale. His voice was soft and fragile, dangerously close to shattering.

"Eiri...can we talk?"

Eiri frowned at him. That response was expected, for it was one of his usual responses to requests. Only one person was immune from frowns, and that person was missing. He ran a hand through his hair and released a sigh, one that carried tremendous pain within it. "What's wrong?" he asked the guitarist, who was dangerously close to tears. He now looked like a child that was about to lose his first puppy.

"Not here. I'd like to go somewhere _else, _if you don't mind. I...don't want...to wake those two."

Eiri's hand repeated its previous movements, then he closed his eyes. For a moment, he tried to shake off the horrific tremors of pain, but they were built into his bloodstream like a disease. After that miserable attempt he opened his eyes.

"Sure. Did you have anything _special _in mind?"

A weak smile formed on Hiro's face, and his eyes made an attempt to brighten themselves. "The observatory isn't too far from here." he said softly, making an attempt to be cheerful. The author removed himself from his covers and was struck by a devastating fact; he was still clothed. His passionate nights with Shuichi had caused him to shed all attire. Now he was standing in the middle of a cold, dark room...lonely and fully clothed, dying and hungry. "Thanks." the guitarist said weakly, still trying to keep up a smile.

"I appreciate this."

"Before we embark on our new journey," Eiri said firmly, holding up a hand. His tone may have been firm, but there was very little strength within his voice. "I want you to answer a question. How long...did you guys watch over me?"

Hiro fumbled with the question for a moment, feeling as if Eiri had spoken in Swahili. A moment went by before he delivered an answer, but it was certainly an answer from a fearful, indecisive child. "A pretty long time." he said through nervous laughter, which earned a deep frown from the author. "I can't really remember how things went. Everything's been a blur, you know?"

A fresh wave of pain crashed upon Eiri's trembling body. His friends had spent the entire night _worrying _over him. Ryuichi, the one that had delivered the forceful lecture, probably felt _terrible _about the entire night. His brother, Tatsuha, had bravely protected him against Yuki Kitazawa; he had probably spent the whole night _fretting _over his fallen brother. Eiri had caused enormous pain to his beloved companions, and that fact tore at him. He never liked it when others fussed over him in the past, and now he had his closest friends suffering from massive anticipation.

The two of them silently made their way through the palace. The departure of ten minutes brought about their arrival to the observatory, which was an iridescent realm of starlight. The ceiling was drenched in calming beams of color, and the floor was carved out of black marble. The observatory offered a pleasant place to sit; another water fountain, which was equipped with a small sitting area. Hiroshi took it upon himself to break the painful silence, but his decision came through a sheet of pain.

"This place isn't too bad. Don't you think so?"

The pink rays of light prevented Eiri from delivering an answer. The novelist placed himself upon the sitting area and gazed into the water fountain for an eternity, trying his hardest to ignore the spirited pink beams. Hiroshi sat next to him, bearing another childlike frown upon his warm features. That movement brought the author's eyes to him.

"What's on your mind, Hiroshi?"

Looking a student that had been placed under a spotlight, Hiroshi placed his hands into his lap and shuffled nervously. His eyes were still the havens for unshed oceans, his heart was still sobbing into his chest; something was definitely bothering the softhearted musician. A moment of silence elapsed before he began his explanation.

"I...have to tell you...what I saw in the 'dream pool'."

Confusion fell into Eiri's eyes, but he decided to keep it at a minimum. Hiroshi's shaky voice was hoarse and fragile. The poor thing was dangerously on the verge of tears.

"I...well...there's something you should now first. I...I..."

Eiri frowned, but the frown was radiant with sadness. _Go on, _he thought. _I'm right here..._

"...I'm..._in love..._with..._Shuichi."_

Shock stormed into the novelist's eyes, but Hiro misinterpreted it. The musician was now sobbing; his venture into the world of tears had born from his misinterpretation. "You see," he went on, shivering through dewdrops. "the pool...brought those feelings of mine...to life."

He wiped rivers from his eyes, unable to look at the shock upon Eiri's face. "He...Shuichi...made his way...to my house...and..."

His hands shot to his face. Both were immediately drenched in a coat of gentle tears.

"...well...he told me...he loved me...and...we..."

An intricate combination of emotions removed his ability to speak. Tears overwhelmed him as he kept his face buried, shivering from violent waves of thunder. Confusion grew within Eiri's eyes as he watched over him, able to complete the musician's sentence in his own mind. Hiroshi removed his hands a minute later, still shivering from tears.

"I was happy, but...at the same time...I _knew _it was wrong. I _knew _I didn't want it to happen. I knew it wasn't right. Oh, I'm so sorry Eiri. I knew it was wrong, I knew it the whole time...I know you love Shuichi, and I was so happy for the two of you...I'm really sorry, man..."

_It was astounding._

Hiroshi Nakano, Shuichi's dearest friend, was devastated over something that had occurred within a _dream._

The author turned his confusion into warmth, the type of warmth that had only been released to a certain angel. He placed a comforting hand upon Hiro's shoulder, which caused the sobbing guitarist to look into his face in confusion. There was a gentle smile upon Eiri's face, which heightened the severe distress. However, the novelist's soft tone softened his fear.

"This hasn't been too much of a party for _you _either. I can tell."

Hiro was shocked. He was a child that had just broken a blood oath, and he was receiving no punishment for his offense. His jaw dropped and held itself within its chosen place. "You...you aren't..."

With his usual charm, Eiri narrowed his eyes at him and placed his hands on his hips. "Give me _one _good reason why I should be pissed with you." he demanded gently, which brought a gasp from Hiroshi's heart. The guitarist looked horrified.

"But...but I-"

"-just spilled your heart and guts out to me. _I know, _Hiroshi."

A flood of disbelief crowded Hiroshi's body. "But...but I just..."

"Look."

Eiri rose from his place, bearing the facial expression of an exasperated coach. Within the anger, however, was a beauteous sheet of brotherly affection. "You made me realize something. You made me realize that you're an honorable, respectful friend, and I appreciate that deeply. You've been in love with Shuichi for a long time; that I can see within your eyes. However, you supported him. You supported the _both _of us. You didn't slip behind my back and steal him from me. When he told you about his dreams, you kept yourself near him. I take it that Shuichi has _no clue _on your feelings, and yet you kept everything _hidden _until now. You definitely aren't the 'back-stabbing', 'vindictive' type, pal."

Hiroshi felt as if someone had thrown a bag of bricks at him. His eyes, which were filled with turbulent disbelief, stared upon Eiri's face for an eternity. He had just confessed to making love to Eiri's soul-mate, but he was moving about with a perfectly _clean _slate! Eiri was not only fine with the confession; he was _smiling! _Eiri rarely smiled at anyone other than _Shuichi!_

Tears of childlike shock penetrated his eyes. He had predicted an onslaught of fury, but received only a beam of sunshine. Eiri Uesugi, the one that had stolen his secret love's heart, was _smiling _at him...as if he were a life-long friend.

Eiri _Yuki, _the one he had secretly hated for so long, was _smiling _at him.

"Eiri...I'm...I..."

"What is it _now?" _asked a frustrated, exhausted Eiri.

"...I was so jealous, so angry at you...I hated your guts, man...but...when you confessed everything...the two of you became so **_happy_**...I'm sorry..."

The Uesugi's tone became soft, gentle and comforting. Of course he was irritated with the Nakano's tears; he couldn't understand why he was inconsolable over something that had occurred within a dream, something he had handled with respect, love and honor. At the moment, however, his body condition prevented him from keeping up that anger. And his soft side had developed **_immensely _**within the last couple of hours.

"I don't blame you for the way you felt. I was cruel to Shuichi. Hell, I hated myself for tormenting him. I **_still _**do. I kept myself away from _him _in order to protect him, but...I was only **_hurting _**him. I was only keeping myself away from the truth."

The novelist's pain was coming through at full force. His voice was gentle, but it was immensely fragile, filled with incalculable desires. His body was screaming for release, and there wasn't anything in sight. "I don't blame you for loving Shuichi." he said gently, his voice drifting through the cold air. "Hell, I'm the luckiest guy in the universe. Which explains why Deus **_snatched_** him from me. Anyways...I'm glad you told me all of that. That made me happy, Hiroshi."

Sweet, puppy-like confusion filled Hiro's eyes. The guitarist was moved by the novelist's kindness; tears rendered him unable to shed a _word. _Eiri ruffled his hair playfully, bearing the warmth of an older sibling. "Don't stress over it anymore." he said jovially, his eyes twinkling. "We've got bigger fish to fry."

"Does this mean...we're...friends?"

Eiri extended a hand to the shocked, moved musician. He was definitely confused by his sorrow, but the innocence of the guitarist moved his heart deeply. "Of course it does, moron." he said happily, shaking Hiroshi's hand. A smile bloomed on the gentle rocker's face. "I don't understand _why _you were so worried about anything in the first place."

A bright smile bloomed on the musician's face. He removed rivers from his eyes, which had caused him to go temporarily blind. Weak laughter emerged from profuse relief and emitted itself from his heart, accompanied by the bright twinkle within his eyes. For a moment, both of them recovered their composure in silence, then a thunderbolt struck the member of Bad Luck.

"_Wait a minute! _I just want you to know that I'm _not _going to cause you guys any trouble or anything! I don't want you to worry about _anything _once you get Shuichi back! I swear, I'll keep _everything _quiet!"

Warm laughter brought itself from Eiri's lips. His weary eyes twinkled in darkness, filled with a radiance no one had ever witnessed before. "I know you will, idiot." he said kindly, patting him on the back. "Now get off of that already."

Rapturous appreciation filled Hiro's eyes, but that was instantly tugged on by concern. "Hey." he said gently, pulling on Eiri's arm. He had not yet adjusted to their new way of life; he had spent the evening summoning monsters, which was something he had not even _dreamt _of doing. _And _his best friend was in the hands of a sex-aholic.

"About last night...Ryuichi feels _really _bad about the way he acted."

"Well, he _shouldn't." _Eiri snapped, directing the anger at himself. "Come on. We've got to get back to the others before Armageddon strikes. I think someone already taught us that we should stay with the group."

A second later, the novelist was sent crumbling to the ground...due to the courtesy of a certain sovereign.

"_**Peita! You have healed a lonely heart!"**_

"_**What in the hell-Niha! What do you think you're doing?"**_

Giggling like a child, she tossed herself off of him and delivered one of her beauteous grins. She exchanged smiles with Hiro, then observed the author dusting himself off. To her it was a comical sight. "He certainly is the cutest, is he not?" she asked the shy musician, and received gentle laughter. Eiri sent her a playful glare.

"Piss off. Pouncing like some mindless _cat _isn't _nice, Your Highness."_

The arrival of Ryuichi Sakuma's voice surprised the novelist _and _guitarist. Niha, however, expected it.

"Well, she can do whatever the hell she wants. She's a Queen, after all."

Three pairs of eyes fell upon Ryuichi Sakuma and Tatsuha Uesugi. Tatsuha had the look of a worried parent about him; his charge had left in the middle of his vigil, and he was evidently worried about his condition. One could have said that he looked irritated. Ryuichi had the look of an anxious offender about him, one that was ready to apologize for an unintentional offense. Silence tied them all together for an eternity, then the saddened Tatsuha folded his arms in frustration.

"I'm glad you're awake, Eiri, but you didn't have to leave without saying 'goodbye'. I hope you know that I've been _worried _shitless about you."

A warm, eternal smile spread on Eiri's face. He thought of the acts his brother had done; he thought of the swift rescue he had made, when he was trapped in the confinement of Kitazawa's kiss. He thought of the speeches he had made, the anger he had displayed...

* * *

"**_YOU DESERVED EVERYTHING YOU GOT, PAL! I WOULD HAVE TORN YOU FROM LIMB TO LIMB, IF I HAD BEEN IN EIRI'S PLACE! AND HERE'S A NEWSFLASH FOR YOU; EIRI ISN'T YOUR PROPERTY! SHUICHI ISN'T DEUS' PROPERTY! THOSE TWO BELONG WITH EACH OTHER!"

* * *

_**

"I know, Tatsuha. I'm sorry."

Hope bloomed like a flower on the priest's face. "So, I take it you're feeling better?"

"Not really. I still hurt like _hell. _I am glad that you're here with me, though. I'm happy to have all of you here with me."

"Including _me?" _Ryuichi asked him fearfully, predicting mass destruction.

"_Yes, _including you. I'm glad you took the time to knock some sense into me. Everything you said was _true, _Ryu. Thanks for giving me a slap in the face."

Ryuichi, Tatsuha and Hiro exchanged glances with each other. Each of their faces were filled with awe; they all felt as if they were in the presence of a king. Standing before them was a powerful individual, one that was enduring tremendous pain. He was hurting, suffering badly...but..._he was ready to confront his problems. _Determination was blazing within his eyes, even though his body was pulsating with vehement pain.

Just a few seconds ago, he had been in his brother's arms, sobbing.

"I'm sorry I put all of you through such hell. I know what I have to do now, and I'm **_going to do it._**"

The look within Eiri Uesugi's eyes left **_no doubt._**

"If that angel wants a _prince," _the warrior continued, grasping his daggers. "he'll _get _a prince."


	17. Breakthrough of Heart

Welcome to 'Breakthrough of the Heart', starring our beloved cast. I'm glad that you're all enjoying my latest project! I know I've said this about a thousand times already, but without your support, this story wouldn't exist. It certainly wouldn't exist without the care of a certain dear friend.

Eiri is finally about to earn his wings. I feel terrible for putting a character through such trauma; it really hurts to write his parts! Wah! Fortunately, he's about to turn his pain into strength. Watch as the magic unfolds before your very eyes! Absorb this epic tale of massive proportions!

* * *

_Theme of 'Breakthrough of the Heart'; Atlantica Theme of KH2 OST, Passion

* * *

_

Blue winds carried several hearts into the palace's dining area. It was a dining room that easily surpassed ones found in the lives of mortals. The walls were captured in the essence of an ocean floor, and the area's features were radiant enough to fit the palettes of a thousand kings. It was large enough to accommodate every member of the palace grounds, but only a few seats were needed for the current situation.

Eiri Uesugi and his loyal friends were in the presence of Queen Niha. However, no formalities were being passed around. For what felt like the first time in ages, all of them were happily enjoying themselves, even though their hearts were still throbbing from the previous night's events. The memories of their beloved songbird were still flowing through their minds like water, but all of them were determined to keep stiff upper lips. Claude K.Winchester, who had taken a blow for Reiji during the previous battle, was merrily showing off his pair of 'dear friends'. Suguru was at Reiji's side, forming a deep attachment to the Solar Mage.

The others were also basking in warmth, even though their bodies were throbbing from the exhibition of emotions. Hiroshi Nakano, who had appointed himself Eiri's guardian, was sitting on the novelist's right side, bearing the facial expression of a timid animal. His heart was still shocked by Eiri's kindness, and so he had given himself the position of Eiri's loyal caretaker. Ryuichi and Tatsuha were nearby, basking in each other's warmth. Both of them were acting as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from their shoulders, and that assumption wasn't too far from the mark. Both of them were pleased to see Eiri up and about, for the novelist had spent the aftermath of the battle in tears.

The food before them was exquisite. Each dish had a soul of its own, and a mind to accompany that soul. Each plate eagerly offered itself to its witnesses, emitting their own canvas of aromas. The cuisine of Anuryn bore a striking resemblance to the cuisine of India, for it proudly emitted a wondrous blend of cream sauces and vegetables. Ryuichi and Tatsuha were ravenous, and Reiji was no different. However, the others had smaller appetites; K ate in the manner of a perturbed hamster, Hiroshi gave eternities of silent attention to his food, and Suguru acted as if he were eating air. Eiri barely had an appetite at all, even though he _knew _he had to eat something.

Every attempt he made crumbled as soon as he made it. The food just turned into ashes within his mouth.

After twenty minutes of good-natured arguments, silence tied them all closer together for an eternity. With the expiration of that eternity came gentleness from Reiji. Her fearful, soft eyes fell upon the novelist, who looked as if he were floating among another world. Her voice drifted upon the morning wind as a small leaf.

"Eiri...are you...feeling any better?"

Eiri Uesugi released a gentle sigh of sorrow, then lowered his head into a pool of thought. His heart could feel the emotions of his friend's hearts; all of them were deeply worried about him, feeling as if he had just emerged from intensive care. In the past, he had never wanted anyone to fuss over him. Now he had a full group of people, treating him as if he were perilously close to a nervous meltdown. Actually, that wasn't too far from the truth. He **_was _**on the brink of a meltdown. An emotional one, to be exact. However, the winds of love were pouring strength into his shivering soul.

After a moment of thought, he lifted his head and delivered an answer with a rare smile. His voice had its usual placidness about it, but there were other beauteous elements within it. He was thoroughly exhausted, but his voice was immensely warm and gentle.

"I could be _better, _but I'll be all right. I want to thank you for supporting Ryuichi, by the way...so...thanks."

For a second, the young Solar Mage was struck by a bolt of confusion. After that second elapsed, the confusion evaporated and transformed itself into passionate admiration. Silence returned to the dining area as all of them wandered through newborn loyalty and affection. Never before had they been so close to one another; now they all felt as if they had been born within the same family, including Lady Niha. Hearts struck the chords of the heavens in unison, each heart bearing its own banner of hope upon it. The clock was ticking, carrying them towards eternity...and all of them were about to meet it.

The absence of Shuichi Shindou was far from painful, and far from 'excruciating'. No word could paint an accurate picture of their sorrow, for all of them missed the cheerful vocalist with a passion. The expiration of silence brought about playful conversation though, which was centered around the songbird's relationship with his prince.

"I can see why Eiri's so exhausted. I mean, come on. His sex drive must be going **_crazy! _**It isn't natural for anyone to go without for such a long time!"

Suguru Fujisaki's eyes widened in horror. Claude K.Winchester playfully sighed and placed a hand on his forehead. Reiji shot out of her chair and whirled upon the speaker (who was none other than Ryuichi Sakuma), his eyes blazing with cat-like fury. The member of Nittle Grasper quickly discovered why so many referred to her as 'Wildcat'.

"_**YOU FOUL-MOUTHED COCKROACH! DON'T BE SO CRUDE!"**_

"Leave him alone, Reiji." Eiri said warmly, waving a weary hand at her. "What he said...is true."

The look on the novelist's face _killed _his companions. His usual nonchalance was present, but he had the voice of a weary toy, one that had lost its sole purpose in life. Listening to him speak was even worse than listening to a dying bird cry out for assistance. The brokenhearted soul was trying his hardest to be strong, but his efforts were not yet bearing fruit. He was still in a massive amount of pain, and hardly able to breathe.

Within a moment of silence, Hiroshi Nakano placed his hand on Eiri's to comfort him. The others looked upon the novelist with endless compassion, feeling as if they had been dragged into oblivion. They had never seen such a sad human being before; their companion was truly suffering. He was hardly able to function. Which explained his loss of appetite.

The departure of silence brought about another attack from the passionate Reiji. The Solar Mage unsheathed her faithful Spirit Staff and sent a wave of energy into it, which caused it to glow. Her eyes were wielders of the same vicious light.

"YOU INCONSIDERATE CAD! YOU JUST MADE EVERYTHING WORSE! PREPARE TO DIE!"

Eiri rose from his seat to prevent the 'death' of Ryuichi Sakuma, but Claude K.Winchester took it upon himself to end the fight. Smiling, he folded his arms and gave himself the look of an executive, one that was ready to seal a business deal. One could have also said that he looked like a fox luring a mouse into a trap.

"Well, Reiji, you have to admit. Ryuichi _does _have a point. After all, it_ isn't _natural for someone to be without their mate for a long period of time. After you've spent so many days with someone, life becomes hard without them. It's actually excruciating. You have to remember, those two were practically made for each other."

_**Eiri placed himself back into his seat and grasped his daggers. They were his source of his comfort.**_

Reiji and Suguru looked at K as if he were offending a Pope. Their looks of horror didn't stop him, though, for he received nods of encouragement from Lady Niha. "You also have to remember that Deus snatched Shuichi out of nowhere, probably after they made passionate love to each other." he said nonchalantly, his eyes twinkling with fatherly warmth. Those words caused Eiri to **_freeze. _**"I mean, come on. Who would want their soul mate stolen from under their nose? I know I wouldn't. If I were in Eiri's position, I'd be highly upset too."

Ryuichi folded his arms behind his head and joined him. Apparently, he had caught onto Niha's winks. The sovereign was silently asking both of them to 'egg' Eiri on for some reason. Perhaps it had something to do with his unlocked potential?

"Shuichi _did _spend a couple of years _dreaming _about him. Eiri really is the pup's prince, and that bastard went and _swiped _him. Wasn't very neighborly, if you ask me. Poor Shuichi. He's probably crying somewhere, all alone and cold..."

_**All alone and cold...crying...**_

The grip on his daggers became **_stronger. _**

"Actually..." Niha said excitedly, snapping him out of a vehement reverie. "I'm afraid you're wrong, _nischa." _she said, poking Ryuichi on the nose. "You're _all _wrong, actually. Our angel _didn't _dream of Eiri for mere months."

Tatsuha rose from _his _place in shock, stunned by the sovereign's words. Unfortunately, his shock was cut short by his brother's question.

"Before we go any further, I **_need _**to ask you something. In the dream pool..."

_Eiri couldn't say it. It was just too hard._

_He was like a student stumbling over the hardest language._

"...Shuichi..."

_Damn it. I've called your name so many times...but you've never answered me..._

He went _right _back to Shuichi's alternative name.

"..._he _told me something. It was something like 'when I return, I may not be the one you fell in love with'. Any guesses on that, Niha?"

The youthful, silver-haired queen rose from her chair with the eloquence of a hostess. Childlike excitement bloomed within her eyes as flower petals bloomed within a serene lake. The skies of the dining area took on the sheer beauty of the observatory; stars cascaded throughout the ceiling, the surface of an ocean floor pasted itself to every black wall, and the melody of water began to enter their ears. All of them felt as if they were at the bottom of an empyrean ocean, for the dining area was just too beautiful for words. Niha's visitors rose from their places and exchanged glances with each other, unable to predict what was going to occur next.

The playful Niha observed them with the love of a proud mother. Smiling with shimmering eyes, she stretched out her arms and brought them together in a quick, excited embrace...which was something Anurynians did whenever they were enthusiastic about an event. Her friends watched her curiously, feeling as if they were in the midst of the world's greatest theme park attraction. "That question falls into what I was going to explain, _peita." _Niha whispered merrily, emitting the playful nature of a cat. "Allow me to guide you."

With a wave of her hand, she brought about a flurry of images. Memories, cherished and precious memories, flooded the room...and all of them emerged from Eiri Uesugi's heart. They were memories of his beloved Shuichi, radiant with empyrean happiness and perpetual love.

* * *

"_Yuki! Yuukiiii, I'm hooome!"_

"_Yuki, guess what? We finished our new album! Listen to it! Pleeease?"_

"_Why don't you leave me alone, brat? I'm sick of your incessant whining!"_

"_I don't need a stray cat. Get lost!"_

"_I think I've kept you out in the cold too long. Let me take you home."_

"_Yuki...you're so warm...I love you..."_

"_Yuki...my sweet Yuki...I'm so happy...I thought...I thought you didn't love me...oh Yuki..."

* * *

_

Images flooded the room as streams. The remaining images were filled with undying, empyrean passion...infinite embraces, sweet kisses...

_Eiri had to ignore the urge to shield his eyes._

_**It was hard...so hard...watching his memories unfold...**_

Tatsuha placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, frowning with the deepest compassion. Eiri looked as if he had just been placed on the guillotine. Niha's soft, melodious voice filled the area, radiant with the majesty of a dove's song. "You see," she said gently, causing the images to vanish with another wave of her hand. "Your angel didn't just dream of you for _months. _He began to dream of you...the second he was placed into your world."

Eiri and his friends recoiled as if she had just said dinosaurs were still in existence. All of the exchanged glances with each other, each of their faces bearing immense shock. Eiri took his brother's hands and squeezed them, searching for comfort. He felt as if he were about to crumble like a shortbread cookie.

With another wave of her hand, she created a new flurry of images. **_All of them knocked the wind out of her friends._**

They were even more beautiful than the _previous _visions. The first one was of a small Shuichi, sitting on the golden shores of a beach...forming a heart with two rose petals. That image brought oceans to the eyes of Niha's friends, but none of them were prepared for what followed. The memories that filled the room were beauteous, abundant and heart wrenching; they all centered around a small Shuichi Shindou, and his parents were present. The little one was so happy, so thrilled with blissful discoveries...

* * *

"_Look Mom! I drew a picture! See?"_

"_I had another dream about the prince, Daddy! I dunno what he looks like, but he was wundyful!"_

"_Here! Look! See? I made a pretty picture! It's of me and my prince! This is what I think he looks like!"_

"_I made a long list of what I wanna do when I find him. I hope we meet on a carriage!"_

"_The story about Sleeping Beauty was really pretty. I like that one!"_

"_I hope I can meet him someday, Mommy!"_

"_Thank you for telling me the story of 'Snow White'. I like 'Sleeping Beauty' better, though!"

* * *

_

All of them were stunned, shocked beyond comprehension...

Reiji's tearful eyes fell onto K's watery eyes...

"I...I didn't know...I...didn't know..."

"He never told me anything either, so don't feel too bad..." K said softly, feeling as if he were witnessing the creation of Earth. He gently placed a hand on Reiji's shoulder and squeezed it firmly...

"Shu..." Hiroshi said, his voice a fragile whisper. He clasped a hand over his mouth, clearly stunned by the newborn discoveries of memories. "I didn't know anything...damn it all...oh, Shu..."

Tatsuha was keeping himself near Eiri, who had fallen silent. His brother's head was lowered, drenched in a soft sheet of darkness...evidently covered in tears...

_Keep yourself together, Eiri. I'll hold you._

"_I'll meet my prince soon, I know I will!"_

_I'll meet my prince soon!_

The eyes of the novelist slowly raised themselves from darkness, and they fell upon the small angel's smile. Shuichi was so small, so beautiful and pure...

"Damn...Shuichi..."

Eiri's hands shot to his face, which were immediately soaked in tears. Tatsuha brought his brother closer, wanting to soothe his heart's pain. "What about my brother's question" he asked Niha firmly, listening to his brother's soft sobs. Niha's smile became warmer.

"About that...if Eiri is able to rescue Shuichi, he _will _return. However, there are two possibilities. If Eiri fails to release a promise of true, undying devotion, Shuichi will return as the one he arrived here with. If Eiri successfully reveals the _truth _about his heart, then Shuichi will return in _this _form."

She sent her hand through the air again, which created another ethereal image. It was an image that knocked _all _of them senseless; Ryuichi and Tatsuha's jaws dropped a mile, K's eyes widened in shock, Reiji clasped her hands to her mouth, Hiroshi released a gasp of profuse disbelief, and Suguru stepped back a few paces. Tatsuha strengthened the warmth of his embrace on Eiri, who felt as if someone had yanked the heart out of his chest.

Before them was a _true _angel, one that was immaculately drenched in pure, crystallized water. His body, which held the magical sheen of golden shores about it, was slender and graceful. It carried elegant, delicate curves, ones that were formed from the hands of other angels. His skin was radiant, even silkier than the smoothest buttermilk...and dipped in the most beautiful sunshine. His eyes, his violet eyes, were sensuous and warm at the same time. Both jewels were dipped in pristine waters.

His pink hair was longer than it had been before, and tiny strands were locked upon the sides of his face. They were tipped in streams of moonlight, and they were perfect accompaniments to his golden smile. There was Bad Luck attire upon his slender frame, and the most beautiful treasure was upon his lips; an empyrean smile.

Tears filled all of their eyes. It was a wondrous, miraculous sight, one that was hard to look away from. It was a true miracle, one they would never forget...one that would stay with them, even beyond death...

Ryuichi Sakuma's eyes fell upon Eiri Uesugi, who was lost in tears. His eyes were focused on Shuichi, and he was completely silent...but tears were streaming from his eyes. Rivers were coursing from his heart...and they were tormenting him...

"Damn, you're beautiful..."

Tatsuha caught him before he fell to his knees, covered in tears. Eiri's hands shot back to his face as sobs broke out of his body, shivering from tremors of emotion. His brother squeezed his hands, assuring him that he'd never leave his side. That brotherly strength entered his heart and soothed some of his pain, which gave him enough strength to put himself back on his feet. The blade warrior turned to face Niha, who still had a smile upon her face.

"Eiri..." Suguru asked softly, his eyes radiating warm compassion. "are you all right?"

The look on Eiri's face surpassed all forms of language, description and comprehension. His eyes were hard, filled with inexplicable passion...his face was a canvas of impenetrable determination...

"Yes." the novelist answered sweetly, apparently pissed off beyond explanation. "I'm _fine. _It's just that someone's about to have their _ass _served to them on a silver platter."

"Wait a minute." K said firmly, feeling his heart _race _through an ocean of adrenaline. "Let me get this straight, Lady Niha. You're telling me...that those two...were destined to be together from **_birth?"_**

"That's correct."

_**A pound of bricks struck all of them.**_

A severe headache struck Reiji, Hiroshi and Suguru. Thunderbolts crashed upon the others as they exchanged glances of disbelief. If Leonardo Da Vinci had appeared in front of them, he wouldn't have made a difference. None of them had ever experienced such _shock _before in their lives. _"Do you know what this means, Eiri?" _K cried out, carrying the demeanor of an excited archaeologist. His eyes, for the very first time, were filled with childlike rapture.

"_Do you know what all of this means? It means that the two of you were MEANT to fall in love! The two of you were DESTINED to find each other in Shizouka Park! Everything you've been through was planned out! You two truly are soul-mates! I'll have you know that many human beings scan the earth for their entire LIVES for a mate, and many of their searches end in failure! Some people spend their lives as bachelors and bachelorettes! Many people are the victims of cheaters! And you two were created for each other!"_

Eiri lowered his head once again, feeling his head throb furiously. And his body was still on fire.

"You've got a choice to make, Eiri." K said excitedly. "Are you going to end your fairy tale here, or will you rescue your angel?"

The novelist closed his eyes and clasped his hands together. After a moment of thought, he raised his head and gave an answer, his face covered in an indescribable, unfathomable degree of ferocity.

"Niha, tell me what's on today's schedule. We don't have much time."


	18. Destiny's Chambers

Welcome to 'Destiny's Chambers', the next installment of our adrenaline packed adventure. I wish you all the best; please continue to enjoy my little story! Here are a few fun facts about 'Dream's creation.

Shuichi's new appearance was inspired by Kairi's new look in 'Kingdom Hearts 2'. Tatsuha will receive the job of Eiri's 'support; that idea was inspired by the 'Xaldin' battle of KH2. That certainly has been a humongous source of inspiration, mwee hee. Please continue to enjoy your stay!

* * *

_Theme of 'Chambers': 'If I Never Knew You' from Disney's 'Pocahontas'. Strange, I know. It fits the chapter PERFECTLY, though. This chapter was made to honor the friendship between the author and her dear friend Bloody-May. To Bloody-May; thank you for everything. Always and forever will our bond reign.

* * *

_

_If I never knew you_

_If I never felt this love_

_I would have no inkling of_

_How precious life could be..._

_If I never held you_

_I would never have a clue_

_How at last I'd find in you_

_The missing part of me...

* * *

_

A wave of nausea struck Eiri Uesugi as he realized something. Tension, which came in the form of fire, whipped at his back and caused his eyes to light up like lightning. His heart gave a violent tug upon his soul, acting as it wanted to unchain itself from the current onslaught of pain. There was a demon chasing after it, and it wanted to free itself. However, there was no way out for it.

His sharp, fervent eyes fell upon the guitarist of Bad Luck. They were urgent, compelling and passionate, like the eyes of an apprehensive scientist. His voice was no different from the aura of his eyes, and his hands were balled into tight fists. If he had balled them any tighter, he surely would have shattered both of his hands.

"Hiro. When did you meet Shuichi?"

Hiro felt like an innocent student being put under a spotlight. Shyness caused him to gasp at the arrival of the question, and it prevented him from keeping his voice steady. "Um, well..." he began nervously, shuffling his fingers. He was a scientist that had failed to complete his reports on a devastating meteor shower. "...we met each other in middle school." he finished a second later, trapped under Eiri's passionate gaze. Sorrow struck the novelist's eyes as he folded his arms, bearing a crystallized sheen about his once-cold gemstones.

"Did he ever have any dates? Any secret crushes?"

Hiro reeled back when he realized Eiri's direction. Sadness struck _him _as he delivered the desired answer, his eyes filled with puppy-like grief. "No." he said softly, tears feeling his eyes. He had never cried so much before in his life. Then again, he had never been in the middle of newborn discoveries either.

"He told me that he turned everyone down. He wanted to 'save himself for his Prince Charming'."

"You mean to tell me...that if I didn't _exist..._he would have spent his whole life _waiting?"_

Hiro nodded sadly.

Eiri placed a hand on the side of his throbbing head.

"Knowing Shuichi, he must've turned down a **_ton _**of offers." Ryuichi offered quietly, possessing the voice tone of a sorrowful parent. It was as if he was seeing the truth on the world's greatest mystery, but had no idea how to handle it. Tatsuha put in a thought next.

"He was quite a catch when he was a tyke. He probably had to beat little brats off with a _stick."_

"But...then that means..." Reiji began softly, her voice wavering due to a flood of tears. "that means...he didn't..."

_No dates to the movie theater, no walks in the park, no secret letters, no kisses..._

Silence sprouted within the dining area, which was basking in the elegance of an ocean floor. Lady Niha's companions exchanged sorrowful glances with each other as the latest news struck them all like a bag of bricks. K had every right to be thoroughly excited about Shuichi and Eiri. No other couple in existence had been bound together from _birth._

_Shuichi Shindou had kept himself from the world of dating...just so he could be his prince's 'one and only'. So his prince could his first, last and everything..._

_...and Deus had taken him away from his dream, only to violate everything he had believed in._

The songbird had obviously believed in a vow of sacred love. He had made the decision to shelter his body from others, in order to give his body the pure rapture from his soul mate. He had been quite a catch his whole life, but he shielded himself...because he believed in a _dream. _It was quite clear that he must have endured a lot of ridicule for his reactions to dating.

Silence was even louder than thunder. It ran around the ocean utopia for a millennium, then it was stopped by Lady Niha. The sovereign's voice was soft, yet radiant with the turbulence of an oncoming rainstorm. Her tone made them feel as if they were truly in the midst of a miracle, for it was gentle and urgent at the same time.

"_Peischas, _there's something else you need to know."

Before any of them had a chance to respond, she created a fresh, translucent wave of water with another wave of her hand. The swift rush of water filled their ears the way raindrops spilled over a darkened horizon, and it left behind the most beauteous image. The image blossomed right before their eyes, poured immeasurable shock into their souls and shook their previous boundaries of acceptance. Jaws dropped, eyes widened...hearts brought their beating to a temporary close.

The image was of an angel, one with faultless pink hair and closed eyes. His skin was covered in the dust of silver moonlight, and ethereal wings were protruding from his sides. They were incredibly white, white enough to blind the strongest darkness. The angel was resting against crystallized skies, sleeping among a bed of angel feathers. The entire image was carved out of crystallized glass, which heightened its rapturous elegance.

The mere presence of the image had Niha's friends _speechless._

After a moment of tumultuous silence, the sovereign began her explanation. Her soft voice was still forceful, and her eyes had the glow of a lioness's eyes. She focused her attention on her beloved friend Eiri, who looked as if he were about to crack.

"When our proud realm was born, a tale was etched into the stitches of the sky. It was a tale of an angel, who would descend from the heavens and into the outside world. The angel was a beautiful being, one of endless grace and warmth. He made his descent from the heavens because he was lonely...and wanted to find his one true love, a mortal within the human world."

Eiri's heart gave an excruciating leap against his chest.

"Once the mortal confesses his true love to the angel, the angel will gain his wings and heal the pain of the world."

Ryuichi put a hand on his head, which was no different from a spinning globe. "I don't believe this." he whispered to K, smiling nervously. _"We're in the middle of a fairy tale!"_

"'The Little Mermaid', to be exact." K replied in his calm demeanor. His usual front betrayed his true emotions; he was just as shocked as his friends. His knowledge of American fairy tales (which were used for his son, Michael) was priceless at the moment. "I would say a **_bigger _**version of 'The Little Mermaid', though. Or maybe 'Snow White' is more fitting for this situation."

Once again, Reiji had her hands clasped to her mouth in shock. Suguru was at her side, completely frozen in time. If someone had poked him, he would have struck the floor and shattered into a million pieces. Hiroshi's heart had come to a stop, and he was trying his hardest to resume its operations. Tatsuha felt as if someone had slapped him with an iron club, and was too dizzy to regain his senses. Eiri's entire system was completely off-balance; his head was pratically **_screaming_**, his heart was bouncing around in his chest, and there wasn't an ounce of strength left in him. His bloodstream had transformed itself into a river of blue ice, and even his face was on fire.

"_Peita," _Niha said softly, bearing a motherly smile. "as you already know, _you're _the mortal."

_**It was all too much to handle.**_

Eiri Uesugi, the one that had tormented Shuichi Shindou for an eternity...

...the one that had kept the songbird at bay...

...the one that had brought Shuichi's dreams to life...

_...was a hero within a sacred fairy tale._

_**He now knew what it was like to have a heart attack.**_

Niha allowed him all of the recovery time in the world, but he only took a few minutes. He placed a hand on his throbbing head, looking as fragile as an infant, and spoke to her. His voice was strange to him, almost abnormal. The production of each syllable increased his pain exponentially.

"Before we continue, I'd like to ask another question. Deus gave me a time limit of three days. I know we outsiders use that same limit in trashy movies, but _why _did _he _decide to use it? I know he can't be familiar with movie dramatics."

_**What came next almost caused him to become excruciatingly sick.**_

"On the night of the third day, which is 'the Eve of Eternity', the Gateway to Immortality will reveal itself. However, in order to breach the barrier upon that gateway, the Key of Divinity is needed to unlock it. Guess where the key is."

"In my Shu-chan." Eiri answered, desperately trying to ignore his violent headache, which was on its way to a promotion. It was on its way to becoming a certified migraine. A deadly one at that.

"Right. If Deus is able to gain the key, he'll unlock the gateway and become omnipotent."

"So we're _all _in danger?" Reiji asked, unable to remove her eyes from the empyrean artwork. Niha nodded with the vivacity of a child.

"Right again. There will be _another _time limit when the gateway appears. _Peita, _I'm afraid you won't have much time to defeat your enemy."

"And _how much time _will I have, exactly? Or do you _not _know?"

Tatsuha cringed in sorrow at his brother's tone. _Eiri wasn't feeling well._

"I cannot give an accurate answer. I can tell you that you will only have a few _minutes."_

_Minutes._

That, to him, could have meant only one thing. He wasn't going to have any more than _ten _minutes. Maybe _fifteen._

He, Eiri Uesugi, only had _fifteen _minutes to defeat a powerful demon.

Tatsuha caught his brother before he made another plunge to the ground. The novelist was perilously close to being sick; his headache had officially earned the status of 'deadly migraine', his body was throbbing right along with it, and nausea was tormenting him. The priest held him close, uniting his heart with the heart of his brother. The familiar warmth was appreciated, but it was unable to produce any relief. The pain was far too great.

"Where...is Shuichi _now?" _Suguru asked fearfully, feeling as if he were about to keel over from dizziness. Niha shook her head sadly.

"Locked in Deus' arms. That's all I can say."

A wave of severe dizziness struck Eiri, which eliminated his vision for a moment. Tatsuha said something to him, but his ability to detect speech popped out of its station.

_He and Shuichi were truly meant for each other._

_They had been tied together from BIRTH...and Deus had snatched Shuichi from Eiri's arms._

_He was due for a MAJOR showdown._

"I can't believe it..." he whispered, feeling his head spin at the speed of light. His head was about ready to fall off its hinges. "I let that bastard _steal _you from me..."

Niha's friends were still unable to believe what they had heard. Eiri Uesugi and Shuichi Shindou, Tokyo's greatest celebrities, had their lives etched into the books of a magical civilization...WAAAAAY before their parents were in existence. It all truly was too much to handle.

"What am _I?" _Ryuichi asked in disbelief as Hiroshi rushed to assist Tatsuha. **_"The survivor of Martian nobility?"_**

"I must be the descendant of an ancient goddess." K replied, giving _his_ assistance to the crestfallen Eiri. The novelist, who was savagely close to being sick, looked into Hiro's face. His facial expression was worse than the expression of a saddened kitten.

"Hiro, did he mention a list to you?"

"A list?" the shy musician asked, scratching his head. "I d-"

Eiri's voice was almost a fierce snap, but it was tied back by gentle urgency. _"A list. _Did he mention the list he made when he was a kid?"

A lightbulb went off in Hiroshi's eyes. _"Yeah, he did!" _he said excitedly, feeling his heart pounce around in his stomach. "There were ten things on it. He said he wanted a wedding in Disneyland, he wanted to ride around in a white carriage, he wanted to experience the world's seven wonders with his prince, he wanted to try every kind of food with him-"

_**A wedding.**_

In the past, before Eiri had made his _first _confession, Shuichi had asked him to enjoy the wonders of Tokyo Disneyland.

_**Eiri had forcefully tossed off the request.**_

Using the remnants of his strength, Eiri rose from the protection of his friends and turned to Niha. Fighting back relentless nausea was immensely difficult, but somehow he was able to manage. He had another question to ask, and wasn't about to hold it back.

"Niha, how do I-"

_A second later, Tatsuha Uesugi found himself piined to the wall, under the claws of a black demon._


	19. Drive

Welcome to 'Excel', the newest chapter of 'An Angel's Dream'. Thank you all for joining me on this amazing adventure. Where will our heroes turn next? What's Deus planning? Where will our path take us? Not even I know the answers to those questions, for my story is constantly changing (thanks to a certain person).

A battle will occur within this chapter. The combat style will be a mixture between the 'Prince of Persia' combat and, of course, the great 'Kingdom Hearts 2' combat style. The interaction between Eiri and Tatsuha was inspired by a review I received after yesterday's update. I want to thank that reviewer for bringing me such special inspiration. That reviewer said that the interaction between the two Uesugis was rare; if you don't remember who you are, I'll remind you afterwards. I just want to thank you for what you told me. Oh, and here's something else. K's move was inspired by Yuna's first entrance in Final Fantasy X-2. Snippets from previous chapters will arrive during the battle, prior to Eiri's 'true' transformation. I hope they aren't confusing for any of you!

* * *

_Theme of 'Drive': 'Sanctuary (Opening version' of Kingdom Hearts 2, 'Nobody Battle Theme' of KH2 OST. Unfortunately, I don't have accurate titles on the battle themes, wah...

* * *

_

Just moments ago, the dining area had been a place of peace. Now it was a hotbed of calamity, a breeding ground of destruction. Dark entities were flooding the walls, each of them bearing a single, poisonous battle cry. Shrieks tore themselves out of their black throats and pierced the sky, accompanied by the venomous power of their claws. Red eyes flooded the room and pounced upon their victims, who were hurriedly placing themselves into 'battle mode'.

In mere seconds, Tatsuha Uesugi's life flashed before his very eyes. The fear Hiroshi had experienced rushed into his body, colder than the blackest of ice. The priest instantly found out that fear was a powerful enemy; it had the ability to consume a human's heart and annihilate it. At the moment it was ripping him apart, laughing at him the way a lion would torment a small mouse. His captor was smiling at him, ready to decapitate him with a single movement. However, his desire to behead the priest was washed away in a single flash. His brother, Eiri, had eliminated the demon with the power of a massive guillotine; he had made a high jump into the air, which was followed by a swift descent. During the descent, he transformed his body into a ball and brought both of his daggers upon his brother's tormentor with phenomenal grace and speed.

Without wasting a second, the blade master placed himself in front of the fallen priest, who had not yet recovered from shock. Shuichi's prince quickly assessed the situation; the entire dining room was flooded with demons. Waves of thunder were piercing the grounds, courtesy of Suguru Fujisaki, and chakrams were wildly being tossed around by their enthusiastic wielder. After a second of assessing, he caught a look at Claude K.Winchester, who was performing his own elegant moves.

He jumped upon the shoulders of his support, who was none other than Hiroshi Nakano, performed a flip within the air and came down, guns blazing. His long hair streamed behind him with the grandeur of a banner as he released streams of gunfire, carefully avoiding his comrades. Hiroshi kept himself near the gunmaster, protecting with the Healing Arts of a Summoner. After several minutes, both of them went back-to-back, delivered winks to each other and soared off into the fray in the manner of angry falcons.

The magic-wielders were at a severe disadvantage. They couldn't perform short-range attacks, and it took a high amount of endurance to conjure magic. Both of those qualities put a damper on Hiroshi, but to Suguru Fujisaki they were major handicaps. The Black Mage was unable to perform any type of short range attack, _and _he wasn't equipped with Healing Arts. He quickly realized that Anurynian Black Mages must have had a rough time, for they were at a _deadly _disadvantage in the field of battle. However, their magic was immensely powerful; with the right amount of concentration, a bolt of lightning could tear down three buildings. Unfortunately, Black Mages required supervision, _since _they were practically out in the open when it came to battles. Reiji was Suguru's support; she too was a wielder of magic, but Solar Mages were equipped with staffs, which enable them to attack at short ranges.

Tatsuha Uesugi, after he had used his desired recovery time, placed his eyes on his brother. Eiri had truly become a fighting machine; his brother was tearing through the ranks with the awe-inspiring resplendence of a martial arts master. At the moment, his body was in the upside-down position, and his legs were striking enemies with the force of a thunderous windmill. That move quickly resulted in a barricade of kicks, which were perfectly executed with dazzling speed.

Seconds passed. Eiri locked his arms around a demon's neck and tossed a look at Suguru, who was recovering a bit of strength. The position of Black Mage was highly stressful, since it required a _massive _amount of concentration; and in the midst of battle, time was something he had very little of.

"_**Suguru!"**_

The mage's eyes flew open. They bounced off the walls of the area, searching for the one that had summoned him. After a second, his eyes came into contact with Eiri's.

"_**Can you combine elements?"**_

He felt like someone that had only been given an hour to memorize an entire screenplay. _"Of course I can!" _he shouted nervously, hoping that his voice was high enough to reach him. _"Why do you ask?"_

"_Combine Fire and Lightning, then send them MY way!"_

_It was as if Eiri had asked him to become President._

Being a member of Tokyo's greatest band brought a lot of pressure. The band had depended on him for background music, but he had always handled his position with the utmost care and confidence. Now he was in a position he had never handled before, something that required lightning-fast reflexes. His eyes kept themselves glued to Eiri, who was still tearing through the fray like an enraged wolf. Five seconds passed before Eiri's eyes found his again.

"_**Sometime this year would be nice, thank you!"**_

Those words caused Suguru to throw off the tremors of tension. The Black Mage closed his eyes, placed his hands together and calmed his beating heart, which was banging against its cell like a madman. A golden yellow circle formed itself underneath his feet, which sent a beam of golden light into his silver staff. Within his hands, he twirled the staff at a high speed, then held the staff out at arm's length. A second later, Eiri's daggers brightened with an ethereal combination of power. They began to glow with the light of crimson fire, and with the light of golden thunder.

He whipped his daggers through at the air at lightspeed, which sent many of his enemies sailing into oblivion. Someone searching for an Olympian athlete would have hired the novelist on the spot, for his skills were second-to-none. Without the smallest bit of difficulty, he assaulted floods of enemies with ravenous power and inspirational agility. Reiji and Ryuichi couldn't help the twinges of jealously they felt against Shuichi, for Eiri certainly would have made the _perfect _catch for _both _of them.

Lady Niha, who was tearing through the masses with her spear, couldn't stop jealously either. However, there was a difference between their twinge and her _wave; _she felt herself becoming fonder of Eiri Uesugi, and the fondness was no longer based on motherly affection. Her envy wasn't poisonous, though. She was perfectly dedicated to assisting the angel _and _his prince, no matter what the cost. After gazing upon the faultless blade master for a moment, she resumed her reign of 'terror' upon her enemies.

Seconds elapsed. Eiri found his brother at his side, grinning with his usual confidence. They made a brilliant team, the perfect balance of speed, agility and power. For minutes they complimented each other with their own array of attacks, smiling with newfound affection and loyalty.

The expiration of five minutes brought about a newborn team attack. Tatsuha pounced onto the top of a huge demon's head and began to twirl his neck, which caused the demon to release ear-shattering screams of pain. After several seconds, Eiri split through the demon's body with the speed of a wrathful eagle, one that had the ability to swoop in on its prey within seconds. The demon came apart at the seams, which resulted in a merry 'high five' between the brothers.

"_We really do make a great team!" _the priest shouted over the chaos, which was quickly rising. His eyes spotted fireworks splitting the air. They had to have been from Reiji, the Solar Mage. His words gained him a warm wink from Eiri, who had never smiled at his brother which such light before. A second later, however, Tatsuha found himself under another enormous demon. Apparently, someone had stolen Eiri's maneuver.

Lady Niha's voice rang out with dynamic ferocity.

"_**Peita! That demon wants your brother's soul! Araka su'weai nah!"**_

Eiri wasn't a master of the Anurynian language, but he knew one thing. Her last statement had been this; _save your brother's life. _Unfortunately, his attempt to stop the demon from strangling Tatsuha was stopped by a flood of smaller demons. A tsunami leapt upon the blade master, which forced him to hear the heart-rending, soul-chilling cries of his brother. Shuichi's prince struggled with the enormous wave for an eternity, but Tatsuha's voice pierced his ears, and what came from his lips was something dangerously close to a death cry.

"_**EIRI!"**_

_**Wrath struck him the way a whip struck a human's back.**_

"_**GET OFF OF ME, BASTARD! I SAID LET ME GO!"**_

Time had its own mysterious ways. In times of danger, it took on one of two roles. It either moved about at the speed of sound, or it crawled with the manner of a snail. At the moment it was flying by at the speed of sound, causing events to flash before the combatant's eyes. Several things flashed at once.

Lady Niha caught a glimpse of Tatsuha, who was quickly losing his life under the demon's claws. She cried out something in her native language, but her voice was quickly drowned out by demon shrieks.

Ryuichi Sakuma caught a glimpse of Tatsuha and released a vehement roar. With his flaming chakrams, he tore through the masses at the speed of light, but was quickly brought down under an excruciating sheet of pain. Claws ripped at his sides as demons threatened to tear him from limb to limb, but that didn't prevent him from shouting out his boyfriend's name. Unfortunately, Tatsuha couldn't hear too much of anything.

Suguru was thrown against a wall with his own magic. A demon had made the decision to reflect a wave of fire, and so it was sent reeling into the musician's body. With a cry of deep pain, the mage struggled to recover but went under another wave of darkness.

Reiji made an attempt to assist him, but her magic was thrown right back at her in the same fashion.

K's guns were torn from his hands, and their wielder was forcefully thrown several miles into the wall.

Cries of pain...shrieks...memories...

All of them rushed to Eiri in mere _seconds._

"_**Suchana mei'achana!"**_

"_**GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME, DAMMIT! I'VE GOT SOMEONE TO PROTECT, AND THAT'S MY BROTHER!"**_

"_**Suguru! GET UP! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!"**_

"_**K! Wake up! K!"**_

"_**TATSUHA! TATSUHA! ANSWER ME!"

* * *

**_

"_Niha, I made a promise to him. I promised him that I'd always protect him. I told him that I'd never let **anything **harm him. That promise fell through about an hour ago."_

_Anger crossed Niha's gentle features, and it burned into Yuki's heart._

"_Are you telling me that you don't believe in yourself?"_

"_Yeah, I guess I am." he said indignantly. He couldn't tell if he was annoyed with her sudden launch into anger, or if he was annoyed at himself. He was brushing towards the latter._

_She had the look of an annoyed schoolteacher._

"_What would your mate say to that?"_

_A smile broke out on Yuki's face, but its components were relentless. It was composed of fragile happiness, wrath and frustration. Those same elements were within his voice._

"_He'd probably laugh at me right now. He thought-he thinks I can do anything. He thinks I'm invisible."_

_Laughter broke away from his lips. **The components of his smile were within his voice.**_

"_I guess I'm not as strong as he thought I was."_

_**I'm so sorry...**_

_In a second, Eiri Yuki quickly learned of Niha's mood swings. In the blink of an eye, she transformed herself into a fiery lioness-she no longer had the warmth of a mother about her. She looked as if he had offended her in the most horrific way imaginable, and had no desire to let his offense sit on the wayside. **"How can you believe that!" **she asked angrily, her beautiful eyes blazing with wildfire. **"You doubt the beliefs of your heart's mate! You're making his beliefs out to be lies!"

* * *

**_

"_Don't worry about your deadline, Yuki! I know you'll be able to meet it!"_

"_Wow! You're the greatest, Yuki! I knew you could do it!"_

"_I bet you could leap over buildings if you wanted to. You're the greatest!"_

"_You're just like a prince!"_

"_You'll always be my hero! I love you!"

* * *

_

_Yuki...I want you...to see yourself...through MY eyes.

* * *

_

"**_SHUICHI GAVE HIS HEART TO ME, YOU FILTHY SON OF A BITCH! I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU STEAL THAT AWAY FRO M ME!"

* * *

_**

"_It's our fight. You're my brother. You didn't really think I'd leave you with this creep, after everything he put you through?"_

"_I know things are hard right now, but you've got to stand tall! **Get up, straighten up, and show us what you're made of! Shuichi wouldn't want you to act like this! He'd cheer you on!"**_

"_Once the mortal confesses his true love to the angel, the angel will gain his wings and heal the pain of the world."

* * *

_

Eiri gritted his teeth.

Everything he had been through, everything his body was feeling...all of the emotions, the pain...

...everything gathered itself into a single force.

Rage, sorrow, grief, love, the desire for happiness...

...all of those elements filled his veins with a power he had never dreamt of. They combined themselves into an empyrean force, one that had never encountered humanity before, and revived his frozen bloodstream. It filled his eyes with the force of impenetrable thunder, coursed through his arms and legs...gave him the roar of a spirited lion. It caused his daggers, which were still drenched in Suguru's magic, to flare with wisps of silver fire...and it brought forth a cry that shattered the dining area's windows.

"_**ENOUGH!"**_

An awesome beam of light flooded the entire area. The pure light eliminated the cries of the demons, and it brought shock from its other onlookers. As soon as it vanished, Lady Niha released a cry of rapture.

"_**PEITA! YOU'VE DONE IT! YOU'VE DONE IT!"**_

Eiri Uesugi stood before them, bathed in silver lightning. About his body was a black and silver uniform, one that was strikingly similar to his brother's uniform. In his hands were 'upgraded' daggers, ones that were longer than the previous ones. His eyes were radiant with the same thunder, which made three of his comrades fall into ravenous infatuation. Never before had the novelist achieved such a sensuous physical appearance.

Lady Niha was **_ecstatic._**

"_**YOU'VE DONE IT, PEITA! YOU'VE REACHED YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL!"**_

_All he needed was a little push! Wonderful!_

"_**YOU'VE DONE IT! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS THIS; LET YOURSELF FLY!"**_

_Let yourself fly._

"Don't worry." Eiri said softly, his voice emitting the same lightning. "I will."

_**A second later, miracles ensued.**_

At an unbelievable speed, Eiri literally wiped out thousands of demons at once. A few moments found him within the air, moving with heavenly elegance and forceful fire. He quickly found out that he had the ability to fight with no effort within the air; he could move about with the ferocity of a thousand lions. Upon the ground, he had the same stamina and power. A top-notch athlete would have cried in shame at the sight of his movements, for he sailed through the battleground with the agility of the greatest cheetah. He could hear the cheers of his friends (which were also accompanied by fervent whistles), and their encouragement brought masses of tears to his eyes.

Seconds elapsed at hyper-active speed. Eiri found himself within the air, tackling a black demon as if it were an irritating falcon. Both entities flew through the air at an incredible speed, and neither side granted the other any mercy. However, their duel didn't last long; within seconds, Eiri tore right through his adversary with a sideswipe, then unwittingly made his return to the ground in phenomenal style.

He sheathed his newborn weapons and scanned the environment. Silence fell over the area as his friends focused in on him, still stunned by his awesome transformation...and filled with sorrow over the aftermath of the battle. With Shuichi-like eyes, Eiri quickly rushed over to his brother's side and realized something.

_**Tatsuha wasn't breathing.**_

Eiri looked into Niha's eyes, bearing the same babyish eyes Shuichi had.

Niha, who had been beside herself with excitement a short minute ago, shook her head sadly.

Eiri looked over at Ryuichi, who was also lost in dark slumber.

"Niha..." he asked gently, bearing the soft tenderness of a puppy. "isn't there _something _I can-"

As if on cue, the entire area began to shake under tremendous force. The ceiling began to crumble...demons poured through the walls, shrieking...

**_Niha grabbed Eiri's arm and squeezed it._**

"_**YOU AND I HAVE GOT TO REACH THE SACRED CHAMBER! QUICKLY!"**_

"_**BUT WHAT ABOUT MY FRIENDS! DO YOU EXPECT ME TO LEAVE THEM BEHIND! MY BROTHER'S BEEN-"**_

Hiroshi Nakano remembered something _very _important...right then and there.

* * *

-Sora's fighting style was given to Eiri's, along with his new transformation. Eiri's new uniform was inspired by Sora's 'Final Form' uniform. Tatsuha's attire was also inspired by 'KH2's hero, so the brothers match each other. Once again, for the brotherly love I want to thank the same special reviewer. If you don't know who you are, you should be ashamed of yourself. Just kidding!

Thanks to my dear friend Bloody-May, I've decided to push every chapter to its limits. I hope I'm doing a good job.


	20. Limit

_**Welcome to 'Limit', the beacon to the finale!**_

This story has experienced a massive makeover, friends. This chapter didn't enter my plans until yesterday, thanks to two certain sources of inspiration. Participation in KH2 battles gave birth to this chapter, and my very dear friend brought about an extra-special surge of inspiration. I hope I do a great job on 'Limit', for I'll need all of the skill I can get!

I was just a witness to another captivating story, 'Blackmail'. The author is carving their way into the 'Gravitation' fanfiction world with that masterpiece, which is their first masterpiece. Reading it made my think of 'Kakumei', which was _my_ first Gravi fic. We've _all _come so far!

Anyone that can pinpoint the inspirational source for this chapter's name gets a Batman cookie! Just kidding, nya!

* * *

_Theme of 'Limit': 'Nobody Battle Theme' of Kingdom Hearts 2, 'Hurry!' of Final Fantasy X OST

* * *

_

Time was a formidable opponent. It could torment its victims in several ways. It could crawl through the stream of life at the speed of light, or it could flash right by them with the brutal amusement of a exultant lion. At the moment, it was flashing by the combatants at the speed of sound, and _none _of them were enjoying its reign of terror.

Hiroshi Nakano, who had been appointed the Summoner of the group, looked into Eiri Uesugi's fearful face. Like a child that had been placed onto center stage without notice, he could feel his heart drumming within his shivering chest. Within seconds he conjured up a plan and delivered it, gazing into his terrified friend's eyes.

"_**I've got this figured out! Eiri, you go on ahead with Niha!"**_

Shuichi's hero looked at him as if he had gone certifiably _insane. _Evidently, he had no wish to leave them behind in a mass of destruction.

"_**You've got to be out of your mind! I'm not leaving this spot!"**_

The guitarist, for the very first time, was in the middle of a foreign situation. The walls around him were crumbling, falling into pieces of oblivion. The cries of demons were flooding the cold air, the ground was trembling beneath their very feet, and time was slapping all of them in the face. However, within the bleak sea of chaos, the Summoner was able to come up with a solution. With calm, benevolent eyes, he took the novelist's hands and sent a wave of affection through his friend's heart. He spoke to the worried warrior, his voice perfectly calm and gentle.

"I've got this. Go and do what you have to do. We'll be fine."

Apprehension filled Eiri's eyes as he gazed into Hiro's affectionate ones. Within seconds, memories of his confession flashed through the author's mind and sent even more tremors through his quivering heart. Within a short amount of time, he had become immensely close to the softhearted musician and had _no _desire to place any burden on him. Unfortunately, his fatherly concern was dominated by Hiroshi's confidence. The guitarist squeezed his hands urgently and placed his eyes on K, who was sailing through the air with banners of gunfire. Reiji had placed a shield over their fallen comrades, but since she wasn't skilled in the art of protection, the shield of a Solar Mage was incredibly weak compared to the shield of a Priest. Her face was contorted in pain, which had been born from the excruciating amount of effort her body had to endure. K was unable to hold himself up with his full strength either; the gunmaster had suffered several wounds through the first phase of the battle, and they were massive hindrances.

Hiro could understand why Eiri was so reluctant to leave. The blade warrior had experienced resurgence, and wanted to bestow more of his assistance upon his friends. The Summoner was unwilling to let him stay, though; he had a job to do, and Hiro had _his. _Both of them were going to fulfill their ends of their duties, no matter what the cost.

"We'll be fine! Go on ahead, okay?"

In a short period of time, _all _of them had become close to Eiri. Prior to the trip, they were all meaningless entities to him; he had barely acknowledged them, and they had never really given him the time of day. Now they were all tied to each other, through a bond that was thicker than the thickest blood. The novelist loved them all dearly...and _they _loved the novelist.

_**Which was why they wanted him to kick Deus' ass.**_

Eiri's eyes fell onto Niha's urgent features. His gentle, ethereal eyes (which were still radiant with silver lightning), were filled with a mixture of elements; reluctance, confusion and fear. Hiroshi took one last look at Niha, delivered a nod at her, then resumed his play within the fray. Niha's charge looked like a stunned puppy, one that was being asked to listen to ten commands at once.

**_I can't just leave them here!_**

Time continued to strike all of them in flashes. Niha took her charge by the shoulders and shook him gently, her eyes bearing the gentle eloquence of an oncoming storm. Her facial expression wasn't different from the expression of a horrified scientist, one that had just lost every single one of his beliefs. Fear was all over her face, combined with vigorous urgency and wrath. However, her fury wasn't directed at her beloved Eiri. It was being sent at another target.

"_**Peita, place your heart within your friends. You will be reunited with them, have no fear. We must leave. Now."**_

_**Two minutes elapsed.**_

Two hearts were dashing through the palace halls, searching for an empyrean chamber. The ground refused to allow them a smooth flight; it continued to release violent shivers under their feet, and cold winds continued to howl at their backs. Both of them felt as if they were in the midst of Armageddon, for the entire world was crumbling beneath their very feet. The walls were covered in black blankets, winds were implausibly cold, and the skies were horrendously dark. Within seconds, their entire world had been transformed into a black battleground. One heart truly felt as if he were locked in a suspense film, for he had only experienced Armageddon through portals known as 'novels'. Now he was in the center of his own tale, witnessing the depth of blossoming destruction.

Lady Niha was the other entity, pouring all of her heart and soul into the task at hand. She had to take Eiri Uesugi to the palace's sacred chamber, and she was determined to achieve that goal at _any _cost. She could feel her affection for the hero grow with every rapid footstep, but she refused to submit to unnecessary emotions. Her charge was destined to be with the most beautiful angel; she had no right to interfere. Fortunately for her, she had **_no _**desire to do so. Her mind was on objective and _one objective only; _getting Eiri to her palace's chamber.

Eiri took Niha by the arm and continued his flight, propelled by fear and tension. Within mere seconds, he discovered the true power behind a human's emotions. Any emotion had the potential to be a savage, merciless weapon; it could drive humans to do extraordinary events. He had no idea what the chamber held for him, but he knew from the look on Niha's face that it was **_extremely _**important.

Seconds flew by at the speed of sound. If someone had said that time was afraid of the current destruction, no one would have corrected them. It seemed to have feet of its own, and it had no wish to linger around the current chaos. With every passing second the skies of Anuryn became darker, the winds around them became colder, the ground quickened its pace...

_**...every element of Anuryn was filled with fear.**_

_**Ten seconds.**_

A cry of pain tore itself from Lady Niha's throat, and the svelte sovereign was sent several miles into the ground. Before Eiri had a chance to react to the abrupt cry, a massive beam of light eliminated his vision for several seconds. Its departure brought about the source of Niha's distress; another dark entity clothed in a black robe. The mysterious entity, who had appeared out of oblivion, had created an enormous blast and tossed it at Niha (who was fuming at the seams). The beauteous sovereign **_hated _**surprises and right before her was a _hideous _one.

Eiri rushed over to the fallen sovereign and instantly found out how much she loathed surprise attacks. She didn't seem like the type to be taken off-guard, and she evidently believed that with all of her heart. He assisted the fuming princess with her recovery, his face gleaming with concern. She wiped off that concern with a towel of wrath, muttering curses in her native language.

"I believe we have a friend, Niha."

The beauteous, slender sovereign looked into her beloved's face. Her eyes were fiery, like the jewels of an offended lioness. "Yes, I believe we do." she snapped, her voice blazing with hatred. She took one look at the offender and growled. "I believe I know him too, _peita."_

Eiri hurriedly shifted his gaze to the attacker, and then back onto Niha. He had the demeanor of a calm librarian, but he was **_far_** from calm. "I don't think we have any time to deal with friends, Niha." he said softly, his own voice emitting anxiety. "We have to book it, and _fast. _Our visitor may not notice it, but the world's kinda crumbling around us. We have business elsewhere."

As if on cue, their new friend removed his head from the confinement of his black hood. As soon as his identity found the surface, Eiri placed himself into a fighting stance. Silver lightning blanketed his daggers, blazed through his eyes and found his heart, then sent his entire soul through resurgence. The sixth sense of a canine kicked in and told him that their new visitor meant serious trouble. Some instinct was telling him their black-robed friend had something to do with the crumbling atmosphere.

Niha recognized the entity in a flash. Red fire surged through her eyes as she gripped her spear, her face gleaming with rage. If her voice had taken on the form of a lioness, an average human would have died on the spot from fear.

"_**CHA'TA! MIKANA TUR'IELAN!"**_

Their attacker was a muscular man, one with obsidian black hair and finely tuned features. Blue marbles were within his eye sockets, glimmering with the sickening devilishness of a merciless predator. Pride was dancing around in those marbles, and each muscle was in tune to the melody of dark vehemence. He was a middle-aged warrior, one that was only a few years older than Eiri. One glance at his face would have told someone that he was an ancient deity, hellbent on inflicting permanent pain. Niha, however, saw the truth to his identity.

"_**Sigurd!"**_

Sigurd, who had once been a part of the palace's priesthood, transformed his smile into a rapturous grin. His eyes gleamed with red light, shining like the dark eyes of a black panther. "That's _right, _Queen." he said sweetly, his voice dripping with demonic ecstasy. His blue marbles were slowly transcending themselves into the state of blood-red jewels. "I've come to tell you and your friend that the world _is _coming to an end."

"**_What do you mean?"_** Niha shouted, placing her body into a stance that would prepare her for instant battle. She was obviously an individual that had a low tolerance for nonsense. Beating around the bush wasn't one of her favorite games.

Sigurd, a former Priest of Anuryn's palace, folded his arms elegantly. There was a confident smirk about his face, one that told his new 'friends' that he was about to burst into laughter. He was like a toddler, a child that knew a very rare secret. The cocky smile upon his face gave birth to a fierce desire within Eiri; the novelist felt like tearing the former Priest to shreds. What came next absolutely **_horrified _**him, though, and completely eliminated his hatred.

"**_It's about the heavens. I believe they've been...shall I say...corrupted?"_**

If Niha had been a canine, she would have launched herself at Sigurd in foaming rage.

She placed a firm, painful grip upon her spear. Her eyes would have destroyed an average adult.

"_**FILTHY CUR! HOW DARE YOU SPEAK OF CORRUPTION! YOU DO NOT POSSESS THE POWER TO TAINT SUCH PURE LIGHT!"**_

"I do not have the power...**_but..."_**

Nausea, who had become a close friend of Eiri's within the dining area, returned in a hurry. It practically had a smile about it, and with it came a ton of suitcases.

"...I believe _Deus _does."

"_**What are you trying to say, you fucking bastard?"**_

Eiri's voice was **_fierce._** He had evidently suffered enough pain, and wanted to put an end to **_all of it. _**Shuichi Shindou's smile began to drift through his heart, but he desperately tried to ignore it. If he had acknowledged it, it would have poured a **_pound _**of fatal fear through his bloodstream, which was already cold...

"I'm trying to say that Deus has the upper hand. He has pulled apart the heavens, dear _prince."_

_**Fear pulled the blade master out of his current stance.**_

"To top it off, he's well on his way to the 'Gateway of Immortality'. It won't be much longer now."

Humans experienced the true depth of emotion through grave challenges. After a rainstorm came true jubilance; after a shocking reverie came insurmountable grief. Humans were always presented with many chances to endure life's stream, and each human handled their situations in their own unique ways. However, they rarely experienced the incomprehensible, inexplicable state of emotions. At the moment, Eiri Uesugi was being consumed by a _new _degree of fear, one he had never encountered before. It was cold, unbearably cold and excruciatingly powerful. It was something that surely defied the laws of human description...

Fear was also wreaking havoc on Niha, who looked like an appalled child. Just a moment ago she had been a deadly lioness; now she was a frightened infant, one that had just been abandoned by its beliefs. Fear tore apart her beautiful features as her eyes widened, drowning in the outside world's storm. Around her, her entire palace crumbled and fell into black oblivion...

**_Deus had given Eiri a 'three-day' time limit._**

Niha had told him that the 'Eve of Eternity' was supposed to occur. _The heavens were supposed to reveal the 'Gateway to Immortality'..._

_...but now...something had gone horribly wrong..._

_**In order to unlock the gateway...Deus needed Shuichi's 'key'...**_

"_**Your master gave the prince three days! The heavens are supposed to reveal the Gateway!"**_

Sigurd laughed at Niha's horror.

"Well, guess what? Deus became impatient."

_**Cold, immeasurable fear ate Eiri.**_

"He's close to taking your precious angel, my _prince."_

Sigurd's voice was far from demonic. It was unlike anything he had ever heard, and anything he wanted to hear. It was a voice that would have scarred a child, a voice that would tormented any witness...

"I do believe that the heavens made a mistake. They shouldn't have paired such a luscious treat with such a _mortal."_

Something seized the blade master. It was fierce, undeniably dynamic and **_immortal._**

_**It was a combination of anger, pain and sorrow.**_

"**_NIHA!"_** Eiri shouted at the horrified sovereign, who had her hands clasped to her mouth. **_"GET YOURSELF TO THAT CHAMBER! I'LL MEET YOU THERE!"_**

_**Amidst a sea of black fire, Sigurd released a wave of venomous laughter.**_

"My master is about to find the angel's key. Would you like to know how he's searching for it?"

Eiri's daggers glimmered with a mixture of black and crimson red fire.

_**Their owner was beyond pissed...and beyond scared...**_

"He's running his hands through the angel's thighs. Slowly...slooowly...he'll hit the gold mine soon, I'm certain-"

_**Several things had simultaneously.**_

Eiri Uesugi released a roar and ignited a duel.

Hiroshi Nakano fell to the cold battleground, unconscious.

Tatsuha Uesugi dashed off in his brother's direction, closely followed by the loyal Ryuichi Sakuma.

The Lady Niha released a cry of sorrow, unable to wrestle with two options; she knew she had to rush to the palace's chamber, but the prince was facing a **_merciless _**enemy.

Claude K.Winchester peered through the broken ceiling...and saw that the world was falling.

* * *

The Demon Sovereign _was _guiding his hands through the angel's thighs, and he received **_enormous _**amounts of pleasure from each stroke. He was silent, but lust was clear within his black pools...

_**...the angel was shivering, whimpering...waiting...**_

_**...for his one true love.

* * *

**_

Five seconds.

Eiri Uesugi and Sigurd Vainesc broke away from each other, temporarily blinded by a sheet of golden light. That light had been created from the breaking of a deadlock, which had been initiated several seconds ago. Sigurd was still smiling...smiling with indescribable evil...

"There's something else you should know too." he said, placing himself into a fighting stance. His katanas, which were entities of darkness, glimmered with demonic light within their owner's hands. "I do believe that my master tried to erase your angel's memories."

"_**WHAT?"**_

"I didn't work, unfortunately. I do believe that the angel truly loves you. If I remember correctly, he cried out these very words."

Shuichi Shindou's voice was the eighth wonder of the world. Within song, it was an undeniably phenomenal treasure, one that surpassed every melody in existence. Through speech, it was clear, pristine and **_wonderful; _**a glorious miracle to treasure.

_**In the tone of a heartless child, Sigurd tainted that purity.**_

"_**YOU CAN'T DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO ME, BUT I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO TAKE AWAY MY MEMORIES! I LOVE YUKI, NOT YOU!"**_

**THAT** was the straw that broke Eiri's back.

His eyes were on fire. They were filled with unfathomable, bottomless hatred.

Niha was horrified.

The world was drenched in darkness.

_**Time was running out.**_

_**All limits had been broken.**_


	21. Dual Spirit

Hey there! Welcome to 'Dual Spirit', another beacon to the finale! We're almost at the finish line, so my anticipation is running at an all-time high! Here's a coincidence; I'm almost at the end of 'Kingdom Hearts 2' as well! What luck for me, nya! The ending to that masterpiece will surely push me to create something epic and grand!

The last chapter was an amazing one, but the ride isn't over yet! The duel between Sigurd and Eiri was inspired by the duel that occurred between Axel and Roxas, during the last half of 'KH2's introduction. For the Tatsuha lovers out there, his interaction with Eiri wasn't in the story's original plans; a certain reviewer inspired me to bring them closer. Unfortunately, the Tatsuha fanatics aren't going to be too pleased with the ending of 'Blessing', which is our next chappy. As for the chapter named 'Limit', I gained the inspiration from the 'Limit' attacks, which are featured on 'Kingdom Hearts 2'.I should have mentioned that I name my titles before they're created. Please note that Eiri still has Sora's fighting style, and his uniform matches Tatsuha's. His previousbattle stylewas Talim's, but his latest transformation altered that.

Please sit back and continue to enjoy. Thank you very much!

* * *

**_Theme of 'Dual Spirit': 'Passion', the Orchestra version. 'Hurry!' from Final Fantasy X OST, 'Twilight Town' (reprise) of Kingdom Hearts 2', 'Final Duel with Axel' theme (not accurate title, unfortunately)

* * *

_**

_Eiri Yuki, Tokyo's finest author, had himself placed at his station. His fingers were rapidly drumming themselves across his laptop's keyboard, which was the haven for his creations. His room was dimly lit, filled with the gentle effervescence of golden warmth. That light was coming from a nearby lamp, one that was suited to his style. Like the author, it was elegant and suave, like a hero from a fairy tale. Cold winds were howling at his windowpanes, but he took no notice of them. He had a deadline to meet, and he was going to meet it any cost._

_In the past he had created masterpieces, ones that carried him towards the top of Japan's charts. However, his past creations had been mere mechanical productions. He had failed to place any heart within his own pages, for his life carried no beacon within it. His current project was different though; he was putting his all into it. One reason was responsible for his newborn determination, and it was a reason he nourished with every breathe he took. Unfortunately, the 'reason' was nowhere near him. He was off working at his own career, blessing all of Tokyo with his heavenly voice._

_Hours went by. The clock in the corner of his laptop struck the eleventh hour of night. He had spent hours and hours typing, but had failed to notice the time. He had the ability to type for eight hours straight, and not too many authors possessed that kind of endurance. The arrival of that certain hour brought about beauteous occurrences. A childlike smile lit up his stoic face and his heart began to jump with joy, for with the arrival of that hour came the arrival of his 'special reason'. Before he had any time to react, though, a pair of warm arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders, beaming with the translucence of evanescent eternity._

_Two pairs of eyes found each other, flowing through the stream of life with love. Their eyes soared through their souls, blessed their weary hearts and energized their weary bodies. One pair had solid, ethereal vivacity within it; the other had the exuberance of a refreshed child. The vivacious eyes kissed the author's heart, and then their owner placed a passionate kissed onto the novelist's head. In no more than a second, the writer rose from his station, wrapped his arms around the beaming entity and nuzzled his forehead against his. His grip upon Tokyo's vocalist was tight, but fervently passionate and warm (which caused the vocalist to blush uncontrollably)._

"_Umm..." the delicate songbird said softly, nuzzling his forehead against his prince's. "I brought you something."_

"_Great." the novelist said in his usual nonchalance, and sent several kisses to the vocalist's neck. The fragile angel beamed with sweet rapture at the delivery of those kisses, which were heavy and radiant with joy. "What it is," the novelist continued, holding his songbird's cheeks within his hands, "it can wait."_

_Blushing with the rapture of a newborn bride, Shuichi Shindou gazed into Eiri's happy eyes. Making his prince happy was something he LOVED to do, for he loved Eiri with a passion that couldn't be accurately described. "It's...a little midnight snack." he said gently as his head became light with surreal happiness. "For you. I...it's...in the kitchen."_

_The songbird gently strengthened his grip on Eiri, never wanting to let him go. For an eternity, the two of them stood in the novelist's bedroom, which was now the perfect utopia. Several hours ago, it had been nothing more than a meaningless office. Now it was the perfect stage for blossoming passion; it was a beautiful Elysium. Bad Luck's vocalist brought an end to the silence with the release of his gentle, quivering voice. His cheeks were still bright red, and passion was boiling within his bloodstream. It wasn't merely the desire for physical contact, even though that WAS an element within the passion. It was more than that, much more._

_To them, the unity of two hearts was something sacred, something special and wonderful. The physical aspects of a relationship had united themselves with the deeper, spiritual aspects of a flawless matrimony. The two of them always craved each other, and they could never get enough. Shuichi loved everything about Eiri, and Eiri loved everything about Shuichi. Simple conversations caused the greatest of rapture to rise between them._

_A thousand eternities elapsed before Shuichi broke the silence again. His babyish eyes peered into the vocalist's eyes, filled with horror. A frown broke out on the vocalist's face, which was the most adorable treasure in the world._

"_You've been working all day, haven't you?"_

_Eiri, of course, was nonchalant in the face of 'danger'. "Yeah. What's it to you?"_

"_You're tense!"_

_Without another word, the vocalist made his way to Eiri's back and began to work his magic. His hands were perfect massage tools; soft, silky and miraculous. He was like a child, granting the wish of an older individual. After a moment, though, he brought the massage to a halt due to the sound of Eiri's gentle voice._

"_What do you think you're doing?"_

"_Umm..well.."_

_Without a word, the novelist turned to face his blushing vocalist, swept him into his arms and cradled him. Time froze itself as the two gazed into each other's eyes, their hearts swelling with immeasurable emotion. Strands of pink hair mingled with strands of blonde hair as the two held each other, smiling under the night sky. Once again, Shuichi's soft voice broke the tranquil silence after another eternity._

"_Are you...did you finish?"_

_Eiri sent a gentle kiss to Shuichi's left cheek. "You know me." he said, bearing a touch of happiness within his usual indifference. That caused Shuichi's eyes to light up like golden stars. "I'm almost there." he finished, stroking the songbird's pink hair. His tender caresses caused the vocalist to snuggle against his chest, beaming with the innocence of an overjoyed dove._

"_I'm glad! I knew you'd be able to-"_

_A heavy kiss rendered him unable to complete his sentence. Strong hands caressed the back of his head as lips melted into his, practically glowing with the grandeur of a thousand sunrises. With ardent rapture, the songbird returned the strength, melting into his prince's arms. Hands coursed along the horizon of his back as he continued to beam, falling into a blissful dream._

_The kiss was long enough to outlive the world. Unfortunately, not even THAT was long enough for the two of them. Eiri held Shuichi out at arm's length, still caressing his fragile back. The songbird's childlike eyes gazed into his, unable to believe that such a magical kiss had happened._

"_I missed you."_

_Those simple words were delivered with such eloquence, such warmth and passion. Shuichi's ethereal smile became even brighter, and he returned the novelist's words._

"_I missed you too, Yuki!"_

_That ignited another embrace, which led to the temporary downfall of Eiri's project. In minutes, the two of them were basking in each other's warmth, engulfed in the magic of a hot tub...with the 'midnight snack', which was a box of chocolates.

* * *

_

"Ignorant."

Sigurd broke away from his opponent, his face twisted in confusion. Eiri Uesugi was now a few feet away from him, his eyes posted upon the ground. Their battlefield had become a field within the shattered heavens; the skies were a cold shade of blue, and the floor was an even darker shade. Blue flames had them surrounded, the walls were rapidly crumbling before their very hearts, and the outside world was screaming for relief. Eiri, the former Priest's opponent, had his head low and heart in the gutter. The word 'ignorant' had come from him, which proved that he was evidently upset at something...or _someone._

Sigurd brandished his weapons and placed himself into a fighting stance. His eyes, which were icy marbles of blue death, looked upon the silent adversary in confusion. "What did you say?" he shouted at the disgusted novelist, and noticed that tears were streaming from the novelist's eyes. The novelist's voice was soft, but firm and filled with incalculable scorn.

"Ignorant. I was ignorant. An ignorant _fool."_

Sigurd's eyes flared in wrath as he prepared the delivery of another attack. However, curiosity got the better of him. **_"What are you talking about, mortal?" _**he cried out in anger, unwilling to accept the interruption in the duel. Eiri's eyes met his a second later, and they were filled with emotions that weren't normally tied to average human beings. Vibrant hatred, incurable regret, passionate sorrow...all of those were flowing through the novelist's eyes. His voice held the same elements, which bestowed an ethereal power upon him.

"Your master is right about one thing, Siggy." he said scornfully, his voice dripping sarcasm. "_You're _right about something. I _don't _deserve that angel. I kept him at my side, hoping that he'd always be near me...hoping that he'd always be there, hoping that I'd always be able to hold him. Not _once _did I see his wings. I never thought that an _angel _leave the heavens...just to be with someone like _me. I DON'T deserve him."_

He removed rivers from his eyes and noticed that Niha had left. Wrath bloomed on his strong features as he brandished own weapons, which were glowing with impenetrable silver light. His voice was strong, even more powerful than an eagle's cry...even more powerful than a lion's roar.

"_**I may not deserve him, but one thing's for sure! I let him go, and once I get him back, I'M NEVER LETTING HIM GO AGAIN! I MAY BE A STUPID, IGNORANT MORTAL, BUT NOW I KNOW! I KNOW SHUICHI AND I WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER, AND NOTHING'S GONNA CHANGE THAT! SO TAKE THAT AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR MASTER'S ASS!"

* * *

**_

Lady Niha's fingers were rapidly coursing through the stream of her beloved chamber. The melody of battle was swiftly coursing into her ears; she knew she had a job to do, and she had to hurry. Her heart screamed with the passion of a frightened newborn as she quickly carried out her half in the blessing ceremony, which was about to present Eiri with his final tools. **_Unfortunately, Eiri had to be inside the chamber to receive them._**

"_Achana'mei, su'chana mei..."_

_Heavens, please bring your soul...

* * *

_

The two opponents went at each other in the manner of lions, fighting for their pride and beliefs. Eiri's daggers clashed against Sigurd's duel katanas, the katanas struck the daggers...every blow was returned with equal elegance and speed, every jump was met with another attack...the battle seemed to be endless, but the blade master was running on a small amount of energy. In battle, emotion was a powerful motivator...but in some cases, it needed to be accompanied by energy. Those rules were true in Eiri's situation. His emotions were cascading beyond the heavens, but his energy supply was practically dry.

Seconds passed. The lack of energy began to catch up to Eiri, which caused his the quality of his performance to decrease a little. Sigurd took advantage of that decrease and sent his enemy a brutal blow to the back of his head. Stars exploded in Eiri's eyes, which rendered him unable to see for a second-

-_which gave Sigurd the perfect opportunity._

"_**Now you'll die under my hands, useless mortal! You'll never look upon your precious 'Shuichi' again!"

* * *

**_

"_**Keep yourselves near Nakano! We can't let anything harm him!"**_

The remnants of Niha's group were covered in blankets of seemingly-endless battle. With the death of one demon came the arrival of ten demons. With the death of ten came the arrival of _twenty. _Eiri wasn't the only one running low on strength; his friends were also suffering from a severe lack of strength, and they were dangerously close to succumbing to their enemies.

The pace of the battle was **_hectic. _**Claude K. Winchester (who had just delivered an order), Reiji and Suguru had themselves posted at Hiroshi's side (who was still lost in the dark tides of slumber). The loyal Summoner had called a monster with healing abilities, which required the most powerful of endurance and spiritual power. In order for the monster to carry out her duties, the Summoner had to seal _his _soul inside of the monster's. The Goddess of Life carried out her work, which not only tired _her _out, but her owner as well. Now his friends were protecting him, emitting the same loyalty he had bestowed upon Eiri. Unfortunately, none of them were in good condition. K was gravely wounded, Reiji was covered in gashes, and Suguru (who also had to emit a high amount of endurance) was dangerously close to exhaustion himself.

Claude K. Winchester was shattering his foes with magical gunfire, arts that had been formed during Anuryn's first Epoch. Through sheets of his wild golden hair, he fired at his foes with the highest amount of grace and agility, ignoring the searing wound upon his right shoulder. Thoughts touched the surface of his mind as he sent himself soaring through the air, guns blazing.

_Eiri...everything's on YOU. Will Shuichi's fairy tale come to an end?

* * *

_

Eiri Uesugi was upon the cold ground, breathing heavily. He had successfully dodged his enemy's fatal blow, but was still in Sigurd's line of fire. The former Priest was like a falcon, one that had the most delicious prey right in front of him. The dark entity's eyes were now black, solid pools of eternal evil...and they were hovering over the fallen knight, _smiling..._

"Your entire life has meant _nothing. _The heavens paired you with the _wrong _individual, my dear friend. _You _should have been destined for darkness, _not _pure light. But, as you can see, the heavens aren't as strong as _you _thought they were."

_Those words were like whips._

Eiri sent a harsh, fatal glare in his enemy's direction. His heart cried out as Sigurd raised his arms, ready to deliver a blow that would surely bring an end to the novelist's life. Within a second, however, a familiar chakram split through the cold air and struck Eiri's tormentor. Shock filled Eiri's eyes as his heart saw two familiar faces rush to his aid; the faces of Tatsuha and Ryuichi, who had been awakened by their faithful Summoner. The playful duo tossed winks at Eiri's direction, and both were met with severe horror.

"_**What are you two doing here?"**_

Tatsuha, who had taken on the vigilance of a faithful canine, placed himself in front of his brother. He and Ryuichi created the perfect team; one could have seen that just by observing their current stances. The loyal priest's voice was firm yet soothing, like the voice of a calming parent facing a storm. "You've got to reach Niha, Eiri." he said in a tone Eiri had never witnessed before. Ryuichi took it upon himself to initiate a duel with Sigurd, who hated interruptions. The two of them found each other in mere seconds as the blue flames rose even higher, forming the perfect background for a climatic battle. Ryuichi (who had learned to control his chakrams with mindpower) sent his weapons reeling into his opponent's body, but were instantly met with an enormous energy beam. Tatsuha observed their duel for a moment, then placed his attention on the fallen Eiri.

"Here. Give me your hand."

_**Eiri looked at him as if he had just asked him to strip in front of Sigurd.**_

Tatsuha chuckled warmly in the midst of battlesong.

"Come on, bro. I'm takin' you to the chamber. You've got to get to Niha. Right?"

"Right..." Eiri said fearfully, his eyes falling upon the nearby battle. "...but what about-"

With a depth of determination that confirmed a simple fact, Tatsuha took his brother by the arm and gazed into his eyes.

"He'll be fine. I know he'll be fine. Come on."

As Tatsuha Uesugi led him away from the ongoing battle, one thing made itself certain.

He and Ryuichi had become lovers within a short amount of time...

...and there they were, helping _him _out.

* * *

"_Saitaina, mikana surchana a-weinuh!"_

_Sky, fall upon the wrath of evil! Extinguish it!_

A golden beam of light made its descent from the sculpture of an ancient king. Niha placed herself several feet away from it, feeling her body tremble with fear. Her part in the ceremony was at its end. All she had to do was wait.

* * *

Mika Seguchi's eyes fell through a portal and gazed upon the outside world, which was covered in icy oceans of darkness. Never before had she witnessed something so cold, something so overwhelming and fierce. There had been rainstorms within Tokyo before, but their current one seemed to be swallowing the entire world. Clouds were roaring with thunder, the streets were falling under massive floods...chaos was running rampant with a huge smile upon its face. With a sleeping bundle tucked into her arms, she observed the events of the storm with fear. Her brother and his lover were out there, somewhere...and she couldn't reach either of them.

Moments elapsed before her bedroom door opened, and arms wrapped themselves around her waist. The face of her loving husband peered into her worried eyes, emitting the solid warmth of a vigilant guardian. Tohma Seguchi sent a gentle kiss to his son's head, then to his wife's lips. Both of them placed their eyes upon each other's hearts, feeling the winds beat upon their home.

"How's Shiri?"

"He's fine, baby." Mika answered, stroking their child's head. "I just wish a certain couple was here to see him. After all, they're his godparents."

Tohma placed his eyes on the outside world, which was becoming darker by the second. A pang of sorrow struck him as he thought of Tokyo's beloved couple. Some instinct told him that both were in grave danger...and he couldn't shake off that feeling of uncertainty.

_Eiri...Shuichi..._

_We don't know where you are...but..._

_...we want you to come home, safe and sound.

* * *

_

"_**Bro! Get inside of the chamber! Now!"**_

Tatsuha Uesugi was covering his brother's back. With the resplendent devotion of a stouthearted canine, the priest utilized every one of his skills to protect his older sibling. Eiri still hated being fussed over, and had no desire to see his brother _die _for _his _sake. Demons were pouring in by the truckload, and the armies seemed to have no end to them.

"_**If you think I'm leaving you here, then you're out of your damn mind!"**_

"_**Fine! I'll follow you in there! I'll cover you! Now GET MOVING!"**_

The ceremony was meant to honor the blade master with power from the heavens. The blade master carried himself towards the Lady Niha, who was anxiously waiting for her pupil's arrival. Tatsuha posted himself right outside of their door as Eiri rushed into find Niha, who was only a few feet away from a holy sculpture. Eiri had the desire to hurry, for his brother was ready and willing to die for _both _of them. And he wasn't exactly surrounded by a light load.

Both the Anurynian and blade master placed their hands together. They closed their eyes...

* * *

...as Ryuichi Sakuma was sent several miles into a nearby wall.

"**_You can't fool me with those childish toys of yours, BOY."_** Sigurd said cruelly, sending cold laughter at the mortally wounded knight. Ryuichi winced from excruciating pain as he realized something. Hiroshi had just revived him, but now the Summoner was unconscious. Summoning the Goddess of Life placed a Summoner near the door of eternal sleep...so Hiro wouldn't be able to perform the same summoning **_twice._**

_Five seconds.

* * *

_

"_**Raikana-suachca sakuasa..."**_

Tatsuha reunited himself with his pair, instantly earning a look of horror from his brother. The Lady Niha was opening some kind of portal; Eiri was at her side, bearing a new pair of silver blades. The priest was covered in gashes, ones that were completely open to every kind of infection.

"_**Tatsuha! What in the hell where you doing out there? What happened?"**_

"_How's Niha?"_

"_**Answer my question, jackass! What happened to you?"**_

"Now's not the time, Eiri." Tatsuha said firmly, wiping off his brother's vibrant concern. **_Evidently he had no desire to heal himself._** "What's Niha doing?"

His answer came within a second, but not from the svelte sovereign.

With a gentle 'whoa', the priest's eyes were raised into the heavens...which had been split by a portal.

* * *

The exhausted Black Mage peered into the heavens, supported by his close friend K. Both of them exchanged glances with each other as the heavens continued to part, creating a gateway to darkness. Their hearts filled themselves with unfathomable tension as they gazed within the dark skies.

Suguru shattered the silence, his body heavy from burdensome anxiety.

"Eiri...it's...time...isn't it, K?"

K could only nod.

* * *

Lady Niha, in the midst of resounding chaos, turned to her beloved friend. She had come to love Eiri Uesugi dearly, and wished she could be more than a mere mentor to him. The heavens had paired him with their most precious angel, though, and she had _no _desire to interfere with true love. She had seen the two of them within her palace's sacred haven; the two of them had gazed into each other's eyes lovingly, craving the warmth of spiritual contact. Shuichi and Eiri were truly meant for each other...

...which was why Deus couldn't get away with _stealing _the angel.

"_Peita," _she said softly, her voice bearing the fear of a softhearted mother. "I do believe...it's _time."_

_It's time._

Everything had led down to those final two words.

Before Tokyo's greatest novelist could react, Tatsuha grabbed his brother by the arm and held him, his eyes bearing fervent urgency. It was something Eiri had never before seen in his brother's eyes; normally, Tatsuha was a pervert, one that grabbed any chance he had at sexual intercourse. One that worshipped the footprints of Ryuichi Sakuma. Now he was an invaluable canine, one that firmly believed in love...and one that was ready to **_die for it._**

"Take me with you."

Those words were met with _instant _opposition.

"_**NO. I'm not having you placed in MY line of fire."**_

"_**Eiri, come on! I promise you I won't get in the way !"**_

"_**That's not the point, Tatsuha! I already failed to protect Shuichi! I don't want anything to happen to you!"**_

"_**My job is to protect you, Eiri! I WANT to protect you! I'm not letting you go in there alone!"**_

Quarrels between them were normal, everyday occurrences.

_Until now._

"_**Don't you remember what I said? This is OUR fight! You're my brother, my family! I'm going with you, whether you like it or not!"**_

Oceans rose into Eiri Uesugi's eyes as he realized something. When peace was around, Tatsuha was an everyday, average sexaholic. When things were rough and tough...**_he was a priceless friend, a true and fiercely loyal companion._**

Eiri took his brother by the hand, which earned him a smile of exuberant appreciation. For an eternity, the two Uesugis looked back at the fearful Niha...who was like a mother being forced to watch her children's departure. The world continued to crumble around them as they look upon each other's faces...feeling their hearts strike unknown territories. After five minutes of uncomfortable silence, Tatsuha sent a merry salute in Niha's direction.

"Don't worry. We'll be back..._with _Shuichi."

Without another word, the two Uesugis launched themselves into the outside world...beginning their search for the portal.

_**The final confrontation was about to arrive.**_

_**The fate of the world was on Eiri Uesugi's shoulders.

* * *

**_

**_-_**Fun fact. Mika and Tohma's child, 'Shiri', was named after Shuichi and Eiri. Both of their names were just combined to create a new name. Once again, I would like to warn the Tatsuha lovers of the audience; you probably aren't going to like what's coming in 'A Priest's Blessing'. Stay tuned for the action-packed finale!


	22. Blessing

Hey everyone! Welcome to another exciting chapter of 'Dream'! The banners of the future are high upon the heavens. Time won't cease its passing, but emotions will always remain. Let us continue our journey as we watch over our two heroes, who are off to their destinies.

The environment for this chapter was inspired by 'The World that Never Was', which is the final battlefield in 'Kingdom Hearts 2'. The gateway to Sin, which was created for 'Final Fantasy X', also offered inspiration. I did warn the Tatsuha fans about this chapter, and plans have not changed. Mwee hee hee...things are about to get really serious...so hold onto your seats!

The duel that will occur was inspired by today's matches with Sephiroth. Blast that fiend, I'll never beat him...please remember that Tatsuha and Eiri are in identical uniforms, which were inspired by the great Sora's outfit. Both of them share the same fighting style, and they'll end up sharing the same blades.

* * *

_Theme of 'Blessing': 'One-Winged Angel' from 'Kingdom Hearts 2', 'The World that Never Was' theme from 'Kingdom Hearts 2'. **Please note that this chapter carries a heavy warning; a major event will occur at the end of the chapter. The author would like to apologize in advance for upsetting any of her readers.**

* * *

_

When one looks through a mirror, they receive nothing more than their reflection. The individual receives a flawless image, one that is untouched by any abnormality. Their reflection comes with no surprises, for it is perfectly expected. Mirrors were common tools, ones that found homes upon the walls of humans. Mirrors didn't conjure any contorted walls or skies; they were merely tools for human use. Within moments, however, Eiri Uesugi was placed into another type of mirror. He had been placed into the role of Alice, who was the heroine of a classic children's tale.

Tatsuha Uesugi was at his side, wielding his silver blade and shield. The priest was ready and willing to give his life for his brother; his fortitude was strong enough to shame a deity's valor. He and his brother were in a strange world, but the abnormal environment failed to alarm him. It only increased his vigilance, which caused him to transform into a valiant police officer. As they silently made their way through cold, lifeless streets, Tatsuha's eyes darted over every inch, every nook and every cranny. His brother, Eiri, was no more than few feet away, and he was determined to keep it that way. Both of them were quite familiar with the world around them, but its aura wasn't hospitable at all. It was silent yet vibrant, turbulent and dangerous. The streets were black sheets of ice, lanterns were drenched in blue abysses, and the sky was an ocean of perpetual iciness.

Even though the environment looked as if it had been torn from a science-fiction film, it had a frightening sense of familiarity about it. The establishments and streets were close to their two visitors, and even the sky was connected to them through a road of memories. It only took both of them a second to realize something; they were in another version of Tokyo, their beloved world. Both of them had unwittingly jumped through a mirror and fell into a brand new world, one that was horribly mutilated by the winds of darkness. What made things worse was this; they were near Shizouka Park, the place Shuichi Shindou first saw Eiri.

Uncomfortable silence elapsed between the two of them. Tatsuha kept his eyes glued to the scenery, carrying the demeanor of a protective Doberman Pinscher. If he had been a canine, he would have launched a vicious attack upon any intruder with sharp claws and foaming teeth. One could have easily said that the priest _was _a faithful canine, for he was protecting his brother with unbelievable loyalty. Eiri wasn't too far behind, emitting a foreign depth of anxiety.

The novelist still had his usual air about him; wherever he went, he never failed to emit the aura of a stoic business man. At the moment, however, the presence of excruciating tension was interfering with that aura. Just a second ago, he had been nothing more than Tokyo's greatest novelist; now he was in the midst of a fantasy film, searching for a princess that had been locked within the highest tower. Thinking of the princess just made everything _worse. _The 'princess' loved the light of the world, but she was being held in the darkest parts of the underworld.

Ten minutes of silence elapsed before Tatsuha turned around, surprising his brother. His eyes, which were normally filled with the essence of a comedian, were radiant with the devotion of a sage. "It looks like we're near Bad Luck's studio." he said softly, still scanning the environment. "I never thought I'd see the_ dark _side of good ol' Tokyo. Pretty weird, huh?"

Eiri's head was low, which meant that his spirits were evidently low. "Yeah, I guess." he replied, sounding as if he had lost his power source. His tone caused Tatsuha's face to lit up in an instant. Anger combined itself with frustration and compassion, then the blend threw itself into the priest's eyes. He placed his hands on his brother's shoulders and held him gently, emitting the powerful warmth of an ancient guardian.

"What's wrong with you?"

Eiri didn't answer for a moment. He kept his head low, apparently searching for a suitable response. After a brief moment he located one. "Nothing much." he said sullenly, his eyes emitting incalculable sorrow. "It's just that...thinking of Shuichi...really hurts right now. I mean, he's _here..._somewhere in this _circus."_

Tatsuha's tone was surprisingly sharp. "Whatever spunk you had back in that dining room, **_get it back. Now." _**he demanded. "You're going to _need _it, bro. Don't you get it? _This is IT. _The grand finale, the last dance. Didn't you pay attention to anything Niha showed you? You're Shuichi's _prince! _You know of fairy tales, right?"

Eiri raised his head a little, moved by his brother's newborn strength. "Yeah."

"Did Prince Charming mope around while Sleeping Beauty was held within the witch's castle? Did Prince Charming sulk when Snow White was placed into a deep sleep? **_No. _**The guy must've been a major player, but that's off the subject! He never dragged himself around while his princess was in danger! He got upon his horse and shouted **_'I'm going to rescue my woman!'! _**Eiri, you need that same spirit! Don't you get it? _Deus has your lover! Shuichi is YOURS, not his!"_

Tatsuha's words were swift fingers, and Eiri's heart was an instrument. Each finger struck the instrument with unanticipated alacrity, and left the instrument in the gravitational pull of the galaxy. Eiri immediately found the secret ingredient behind his brother's success as the family priest. His voice, whenever he put it through true force, was a heavy motivator. With a weak smile, the novelist laughed at his sibling.

"You know, I wish Mika could see you like this."

Tatsuha frowned. He was either annoyed with the shift in conversation, or annoyed with the fact that Eiri had 'ignored' his moving power. He put a hand on his chin, bearing a comical frown. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, which earned him more laughter. There was something special about that laughter, though; Eiri's eyes were filled with tears, and they weren't mocking tears.

"Nothing, really. It's just that...well...you're usually...what's that term? Oh, 'pervert'."

Tatsuha reeled back in horror, pretending to be horrified by his brother's statement. "Sheesh." he said, reverting back to his 'normal' demeanor. "I wouldn't refer to myself as a 'pervert', dear brother." Without even noticing it, the priest went off the current situation and into playful banter. "I would rather see myself as someone searching for opportunities." he said, which made Eiri laugh even harder. "Besides, I'm off the market now anyway." he finished proudly, placing his hands behind his head.

"The two of you make a perfect couple! I hope Sakuma's rabbit doesn't interfere with the wedding."

"It won't, don't worry. I'll make sure _no one _interferes with our union of true bliss. Bro, you need to have the same attitude right now."

The priest was in the role of a father; Eiri was in the role of a young son, who had just been placed into a new field of knowledge. For the very first time, he sent a warm smile into his brother's eyes, then unsheathed both of his blades. He removed himself from his brother's arms, unsheathed his blades and performed elegant twirls with his faithful weapons. "Where do you think Deus is?" he asked, scanning the warped streets of Tokyo.

Tatsuha folded his arms, pleased with his brother's recovery. "I thought you knew of fairy tales, bro." he said playfully. "Shuichi's in the evil castle, waiting for you in the highest tower!"

Frustration and disbelief combined themselves within Eiri's eyes, and both were tinged with pain. The novelist slumped over, looking as if someone had just yanked his batteries out. "You know, I can't believe this is happening." he said, his voice emitting a blend of anger, love and pain. "I mean, think about it. You and I are in this _screwed up _version of Tokyo, wearing _biker _outfits. We're off searching for Shuichi, who's supposedly being held in some _dark castle. _Isn't this all a teeny-bit _weird?"_

Tatsuha laughed, taking a look at their current surroundings. They were in the midst of Tokyo, all right, but it was a darker, colder version. However, another thing was certain; their warped world was certainly _real. _"I don't know." the priest chided him gently. "Wasn't Shuichi falling in love with you a little weird?"

"You do have a point." the novelist replied, placing his attention on a single area. Tatsuha noticed his brother's gaze in no more than a second, and placed his eyes within the same area. Evidently, both of them were on the same mindwave.

"You can sense it too, bro?"

Eiri frowned at him playfully. His brother had returned to the role of a watchful canine; if he had been a dog, his nose would have been perfectly _straight, _perfectly focused on a distant target. "Yeah, I can." he snapped playfully, bearing brotherly warmth about his eyes. "If you're implying that I'm not as _smart _as you, jackass, then a serious beating's about to be served on a gold platter."

Both of them noticed something.

_**They had become closer to each other.**_

"Nobody was implying anything, scumbag." Tatsuha said, smiling. "I just didn't know that 'warriors' could _sense _energy levels. Usually, we priests are superior to all warrior-kind."

Eiri's face became solemn. "The energy we're sensing is _definitely _negative." he said, placing a firm grip on his trusty daggers. Without another word, he ran in the direction of Shizouka Park...the location of the energy source. Pleased with the change in position (Eiri had obviously recovered from his slump), Tatsuha raced off after his brother...still smiling.

The expiration of three minutes placed themselves within the park. The source of the energy knocked the very wind out of _both of them. _It caused Eiri's eyes to widen in immeasurable shock; it sent waves of anxiety through Tatsuha's heart. Oceans overwhelmed the novelist as they gazed upon the energy source for an eternity, lost in a tidal wave of awkward silence. Eiri broke the silence after two uncomfortable minutes, smiling through an ocean of tears.

"Shuichi?"

The priest kept a close eye on his brother, unable to shake off a massive boulder of fear. Unfathomable happiness overwhelmed the warrior as he gazed upon the source, his heart falling into a bottomless chasm of emotion. For a moment he was tied down by silence, unable to conjure any words for his heart's feelings, but then he recovered. His voice was soft, fragile and hoarse, like the gentle tremor of a long lost memory.

"Is...is that...really you? Shu-chan?"

_Tatsuha unsheathed his sword, keeping a heavy watch over his brother._

"Something's not right..."

Eiri made his way to the young vocalist, who had been found sitting upon the park bench. The pink-haired angel gave the novelist one of his normal smiles, his angelic eyes beaming with pristine happiness. "Of course it's me, Yuki!" he said in a way that caused the novelist to throw his arms around him. He wrapped his arms around the beaming vocalist, shedding a thousand raindrops...

"_**It's you...it's...really you...damn it all, Shuichi...I've been so worried..."**_

_Tatsuha's eyes became dark. If he had been a canine, he would have fallen into a fit of barking._

"_**I...I've missed you...Shu-chan, my beautiful Shu-chan..."**_

"I missed you too, Yuki. For a minute, anyway."

Tatsuha placed himself into a fighter's stance.

_Now I KNOW something's wrong._

Eiri held Shuichi out at arm's length, stunned by his songbird's words. "What do you mean?" he asked, confusion piercing his gentle voice. Shuichi sent a wave of radiant laughter at him, but Tatsuha noticed something within that seemingly innocent laughter. Unfortunately, his brother was either unable to keep himself on the same page, or he was too overwhelmed to notice anything.

"I waited for you, but then I realized something. I'm _bored, _Yuki. Really bored."

"With _what?" _Eiri asked, bearing the face of a horror-stricken, heartbroken puppy. A passer-by would have broken into a fit of tears at the sight of his face. _"Me?"_

_Shuichi nodded._

"Yep! I made a decision, Yuki!" he said in his cutest tone. Damn, he was too cute...

"I don't need you anymore! I've decided that I'm...well, I need _more. _More than what _you _can give me!"

_**Eiri looked as if someone had just torn his heart out.**_

"I..."

His face fell a thousand miles, and _so did his heart._

"I...I know...I'm...not much, but...Shuichi..._I love you."_

"Bro..." Tatsuha whispered sharply, increasing the grip upon his silver blade. Eiri failed to hear him.

Shuichi's smile turned into a frown, one that an irritated individual would have put on during an invasion of ants. "Oh well." he said with a playful shrug, causing Eiri's heart to shatter into a million pieces. "Deus is offering something special to me; _eternity. _You, on the other hand, can't offer too much of _anything."_

"**_Bro!" _**Tatsuha cried out angrily, his eyes glowing with crimson fire. His sword, which had been a small sword of formidable power, instantly took on the form of two moonlit blades. Both were identical to the ones within Eiri's hands; the brothers now carried the same harmonious force. The grief-stricken Eiri looked into his brother's face, and the priest placed himself into a different stance. The canine's barks were now loud and clear.

"_**That's not Shuichi and YOU KNOW IT, idiot! He'd NEVER say anything like that! YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW! SHUICHI LOVES YOU!"**_

Without wasting another second, Tatsuha tore his stunned brother away from the entity and placed himself in front of the warrior, bearing the wrath of an offended lion. Both of his newborn blades sat at his sides as he placed himself into a stance that would have driven Ryuichi **_crazy. "YOU FILTHY PIECE OF SLIME!"_** he shouted thunderously, placing an arm in front of the crestfallen Eiri. **_"YOU AREN'T THE ANGEL WE'RE LOOKING FOR! SHOW YOURSELF, UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO CUT OFF THAT DISGUSTING HEAD OF YOURS!"_**

_**It was hard to believe that Tatsuha wasn't putting on an act.**_

The entity sitting upon the park's bench smiled...with the venomous ferocity of a triumphant cobra. As soon as he spoke, a chill roared within the priest's veins...and something became _painfully clear. _"You're right." the young entity said merrily, clapping in the manner of an impressed parent. His voice was no longer the voice of the angel's; it was the voice of a sadistic, heartless child. "Good for you, priest. It looks as if you're _smarter _than your brother. Pity."

Within a flash, the entity rose from the bench and snapped his fingers, which placed him into his 'true form'. Tatsuha placed his second arm in front of Eiri as their young enemy continued to smile, bearing the sickening maliciousness of a mirthful killer. His guns were aimed _right _at Tatsuha..._and the priest knew it._

His attire was no different from Deus'; he was dressed in a black overcoat, one that was equipped with a hood. A silver pendant was about his neck, glimmering like a set of cobra teeth. It was the perfect accompaniment to his hair, which was a violent shade of red. His eyes, although the same shade as the angel's, were doused in demonic vehemence. His stature wasn't too impressive, but one thing was _horrifically _clear; he was phenomenally strong. Both Uesugis could _smell _his power.

The youngest member of Deus' home team folded his arms, studied the protective priest for a minute, then gave a nod of satisfaction. "I have to admit, you're really something." he said, sounding like a tyrant that was about to please himself with a peasant. "It's too bad you're on the wrong team, priest. You and I...we could have made something _special."_

"_**First off, my name's 'Tatsuha'. Get that through your sick little head! And for your information, I DON'T have a 'Lolita' complex! If I DID, I sure as hell wouldn't go for someone like YOU!"**_

Eiri looked into his brother's face fearfully. **_Something serious was about to occur, and it was making him uneasy..._**

_**Tatsuha had decided to accompany him with a secret agenda.**_

"_**I knew it! Deus is a FREAK, and so are his PALS! People think I'M a freak of nature!"**_

Eiri gasped as their new enemy whipped out his chosen weapons; a pair of sais. He performed the unsheathing in a manner that would have frightened a red-eyed dragon. His eyes certainly would have destroyed a dragon's spirit, for they were _beyond _venomous. His voice was **_no _**different.

"_**Well then, Tatsuha, I'll show just how much of a freak I am!"**_

"_**TATSUHA!"**_

Tatsuha's opponent was fast; dangerously fast. The priest found that out within a _hot second._

As soon as his hated enemy had finished his threat, he launched an attack that threatened to send Tatsuha several miles into the sky. However, the priest had managed to keep his feet within the ground. Unfortunately, his decision to keep himself rooted was immediately met with regret; as soon as that initial attack came to an end, the priest's feet began to burn with unimaginable pain. His opponent came at him with a cavalcade of fury in no more than a second; he was evidently unwilling to lend his adversary _any _recovery time.

Eiri watched the duel unfold in horror. Both of them went at each other, exuding phenomenal strength and agility. Nevertheless, both combatants had their intentions. Deus' team member wanted to kill the priest; the priest seemed to be protecting something. Tatsuha met his enemy's blows with a sense of urgency, one that would have brought about thoughts of a protective wolf. It was as if the priest was buying someone time...**_he wasn't focused on his opponent at all._**

Two long minutes elapsed. The two of them broke away in a flash of white light, each of them bearing their own facial expressions. Tatsuha resumed his place as Eiri's protector, heaving with the effort of a mortally wounded animal. His opponent, on the other hand, was smiling in true 'Deus' fashion. "You're good!" he announced ecstatically, his eyes glowing with devilish starlight. "Really good!"

_**Tatsuha said nothing.**_

"Forgive me. I failed to introduce myself. I think I should tell you my name..."

_His next words caused Eiri's heart to STOP._

"...before I _kill _you."

_Tatsuha's forceful tone caused Eiri's face to lose all of its color._

"Fine. Go right ahead."

"_**BASTARD!"**_

Tatsuha looked at his horror-stricken brother, smiling with the warmth of a duteous police officer. There wasn't a scrap of regret, _or_ a shred of sadness. The only thing that could be found on the priest's face was _devotion._ He had been nothing more than a sex-hungry comedian at a Buddhist temple...and...now...**_he was a soldier, ready to meet his end at the hands of his captor._**

After a second he returned his attention to his enemy, but Eiri's voice continued to strike him. The novelist's voice was an agonizing union of sorrow, horror, rage and love.

"_**YOU KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN! YOU TRICKED ME!"**_

Whenever a proud soldier was taken into the hands of an enemy, they never lowered their spirits. They held their heart high, determined to carry their pride and affection into death. Tatsuha Uesugi, who had kept on the exterior of a vulgar playboy, was no different from a proud soldier. With his heart held high, he was ready and willing to take on the fate he **_discovered _**a short while ago. Without giving another look to his brother, he prepared himself for another attack, keeping his voice at a calm level. He may have been prepared to meet his fate, but he realized something else; throughout the course of his life, he had failed to hold any type of strong connection with his brother. In mere seconds, the priest realized that he had loved Eiri his entire life.

"_**I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO MEET DEUS TOGETHER!"**_

"All's fair in love and war, bro." Tatsuha said, smiling through a sheet of unborn tears. Eiri felt like _strangling _him. Unfortunately, Tatsuha's admirer wasn't willing to give him an opportunity. "You're soo right." he cooed, drawing out each syllable in a way that made the priest wince. "Oh, and before I forget, here's my name love. It's 'Ramyx'."

Ramyx had a deadly knack for unleashing fatal wrath. In no more than a second, the smallest member of Deus' team delivered a clean swipe to Tatsuha's face, which created an enormous gash along the priest's left eye. Ramyx delivered even more blows to the wounded priest, but received a barricade of wrath from the opposing side. After a moment the two threw themselves into a duel that would only end in death. Tatsuha threw his soul at Ramyx, Ramyx returned the force of his blows...both of them wanted to end the other's life, and no mercy was going to be given.

Time scorched the streets at the speed of light. Within seconds, something became excruciatingly clear; _both _combatants were going to die. And Tatsuha was running out of steam.

"_**Bro! Hurry up! You don't have too much time left!"**_

Prior to the journey, Eiri Uesugi had never cared too much for his brother. In the past, Tatsuha had been nothing more than a pest, one that buzzed around during every chance he received. In seconds, things had changed between them. The novelist loved his sibling dearly...and had no desire to leave him on death's door...

"_**Eiri! DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME!"**_

Tatsuha went into a deadlock, but he kept the ability to produce speech. Through gritted teeth, he spoke to his brother in the tone of a forceful general, one that was about to meet his end at a firing squad...but wanted to ensure the safety of his lowest soldier. **_"MOVE IT, PAL!" _**he shouted, feeling rivers descend from his eyes. **_"YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME LEFT!"_**

"_**FUCK YOU!"**_

A human soul was rarely endured consumption under the waves of emotion. They rarely ever achieved the mind frame of a broken animal, and whenever they did, their entire world was thrown into a new galaxy. For the very first time, Eiri Uesugi's mind went under a tsunami of sorrow and threw him into the battlefield, causing a cry of wrath to tear itself from the warrior's throat. His attack never saw its final stage, though; Tatsuha shattered his current state of mind with a shield. The priest looked at him, his eyes roaring with a mixture of immeasurable sorrow, love and urgency...

"_**EIRI! I'VE GOT THIS! YOU'VE GOT TO GET TO SHUICHI, REMEMBER?"**_

Silence withdrew itself from his brother, and it held the stench of fervent reluctance. The priest lost the ability to restrain his tears at the sight of his brother's face. His voice, which was once a strong bell of mighty benevolence, took on the mournful resplendence of a shattered mother. **_"HURRY, PRINCE CHARMING!"_** he shouted, which would have been playful under more pleasant circumstances. **_"YOUR SONGBIRD'S WAITING FOR YOU!"_**

Eiri rose from the ground, barely able to move due to overwhelming sorrow. Tears burned his eyes as he struggled to regain his footing, still unwilling to leave his sibling to _die. _Tatsuha continued his last fight, bravely struggling to hold his spirit high..

"_**SHUICHI'S WAITING FOR YOU, EIRI! DEUS DOESN'T DESERVE HIM! YOU DON'T THINK YOU'RE WORTH ANYTHING, BUT YOU ARE! AN ANGEL FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU! GO GET HIM! AND DON'T LOOK BACK!"**_

_Tatsuha..._

Somehow...Eiri closed his eyes...and...

_**Ran. Without looking back.**_

Tears burned him...he didn't want to leave...he couldn't leave his brother behind...Tatsuha needed him...

His feet carried him away from the battleground, oceans poured from his eyes...his heart broke into a million pieces...

_Tatsuha...his only brother...the one he had ignored...the notorious pervert..._

_...was about to..._

Two minutes elapsed. Three things happened simultaneously.

Eiri fell to the ground, consumed by silent oceans.

Remyx fell to the ground, covered in the mists of death.

Tatsuha Uesugi fell with him, covered in gashes that ensured his trip into eternal slumber. With a smile on his gentle features, he took one last look at his enemy...and closed his eyes. "Huh." he said gently, his voice barely above a whisper. "That was kinda fun. Thanks for the dance, Remy."

_**Images flew threw his mind. Images of his new lover, Ryuichi...images of his brother, Eiri...**_

_**...images of the angel, Shuichi...**_

He couldn't heal himself. He no longer had any strength. He had refused to heal himself during the first phase of the battle...to buy his brother time.

_**There wasn't anything he could do. It was all over.**_

An ocean of blood consumed every inch of his body...as his chest ceased its heaving. Pain held no meaning, however. His heart was lost among happiness; pure, sweet happiness. With the last bit of his strength, he released his voice to the heavens. It was a gentle, pure whisper, one of eternal love.

"Shuichi...thanks...for...saving my bro. He...would have been lonely...if you hadn't...given your heart to him."

_Eiri, I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I never told you three simple words..._

_I love you._

With one last breath, Tatsuha Uesugi entered slumber with a peaceful smile.

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**_-I warned you Tatsuha lovers out there._** PLEASE DON'T FLAME ME! MWAAAAHHH!

This chapter was dedicated to my two dear friends, Dejichan and Bloody-May. I love them, and I love all of my other readers as well. I'm glad 'Dreamer' turned out to be such a hit, and I'm GLAD TO HAVE SUCH WONDERFUL FRIENDS BY MY SIDE! Stay tuned for the next beacon, which will lead to 'Final Confrontation'! Nya!

Review replies must be done...I'm so slow...waaah...


	23. End of Eternity

Welcome to 'End of Eternity'! Thanks to my latest surges of inspiration, I've decided to continue my project. The reviews for 'Dreamer', and the reviews for 'Dual Spirit' have bestowed encouragement upon me, so I shall utilize that encouragement to its fullest! I'd like to thank all of you for encouraging me!

Plans for two future projects have developed. I won't spill the beans on one, but the other came about from a request; a request from a very dear friend, Dejichan. It'll be about the greatest event of the year, and it'll take place within Tokyo Disneyland! I began my research on fairy tale weddings today...mweh heh heh.

The previous chapter, 'Blessing', was difficult to write due to the emotional damage I endured. However, the effort put into that chapter came from all of you. I noticed that whenever I read wonderful reviews, I write like a true master. Many of Tatsuha's descriptions were nice, and I thank all of you for pushing me! I couldn't have done them without any of you! I do apologize for upsetting the Tatsuha lovers out there, but it was part of the plan! Mweh!

Deus' domain was inspired by the domain of the Organization within 'Kingdom Hearts 2'. The entire environment, which is a warped version of Tokyo, was inspired by 'The World that Never Was'. We're about to hit another bump, ladies and gentlemen, so hold onto your seats! Thank you for joining me!

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_Theme of 'End of Eternity': 'The World that Never Was' theme of Kingdom Hearts 2 OST, 'Isaac' of Madonna's 'Confessions'.

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_

Tokyo's black streets cold, harsh and inhospitable. They possessed a rough exterior, which was unsuitable for shivering hands, but Eiri Uesugi was unable to remove his hands from the street he had fallen into. There were no vehicles, no other souls; the novelist was alone, drenched in blankets of black ice. Every inch of his body had fallen into an ocean within seconds; as soon as he fell to his knees, the black heavens sent a tsunami of sorrow upon him, signifying the arrival of night's destiny. Every strand of his hair was locked upon his head, trapped under an icy sheet of darkness. Raindrops were streaming from his eyes, uniting themselves with the rain from the skies. Their union created a mournful blend, which found its resting place upon the black street.

His heaving chest was burdened with heavy indecision. Every beat his heart created was radiant with indecisiveness, which was united with cold pain. A part of his heart wanted to turn back, wanted to find the one that had sacrifice so much for him. Only a few minutes had elapsed since his departure; perhaps Tatsuha was still alive. However, that small shred of hope was dispelled within a moment. His mournful eyes caught a glimpse of a phoenix, which was blanketed in the pure spirit of a pearl. The phoenix soared throughout the darkened skies with a mournful cry, which signified the death of a warrior. More tears filled Eiri's eyes as he observed the bird's movements, and his heart brought its activity to a temporary halt.

The phoenix, which accompanied the death of Anurynian Priests, blessed the passing of an outsider with fervent respect. Tatsuha had placed everything on the line for his sibling, and deserved to fly on a pair of pristine wings. It vanished within a minute, leaving behind a trace of silver moonlight. Unfortunately, the remnants of the phoenix's visit didn't remain long. They vanished within seconds, bearing the message of fleeting life. They left Tokyo in darkness once again, ending their existence. The priest they had honored chose to end his existence with the same spirit; he had sacrificed _his life _for a sibling that had never _looked _at him before. Within seconds, the two of them became close to one another; they achieved a bond many failed to achieve with family members through a lifetime. The young priest was gone...all because he wanted to ensure his brother's happiness.

**_Tatsuha Uesugi, the youngest of three children, had died at the hands of a demon._**

Eiri's hands transformed themselves into fists as the heavens roared with thunder. The milieu was perfect for an ending; the skies were dark, the roads were cold, and a riotous downpour was wreaking havoc upon every inch of the soulless world. The blade warrior was alone, sitting in the center of a street, drowning in a ceaseless wave of raindrops. Thunder roared within his ears as his mind struggled to regain its consciousness, but his heart refused to follow it. Within his hands were his faithful weapons, but at the moment they were silent, listening to the emotions of their owner. They were inanimate objects, ones that were immersed in dark torrents of pain.

Ten minutes elapsed, each minute accompanied by pulsating thunder. Eiri slowly rose to his feet, feeling rivers stream from every corner of his body. Words echoed throughout his heart's chambers, sending tremendous waves of pain through his bloodstream. Images were coupled with those words, and they were vivid...perfectly clear, as if they were a part of the present...

"**_Souls of Stars, bring to me your strongest fury! I plead with you, unleash it now! Heaven's Fury!"_**

"If anyone should be asking someone to leave, _I _should be the one asking _you _to jet. Since you don't want to leave, though, we'll do this...**_together."_**

"**_YOU DESERVED EVERYTHING YOU GOT, PAL! I WOULD HAVE TORN YOU FROM LIMB TO LIMB, IF I HAD BEEN IN EIRI'S PLACE! AND HERE'S A NEWSFLASH FOR YOU; EIRI ISN'T YOUR PROPERTY! SHUICHI ISN'T DEUS' PROPERTY! THOSE TWO BELONG WITH EACH OTHER!"_**

"Whatever spunk you had back in that dining room, **_get it back. Now." _**he demanded. "You're going to _need _it, bro. Don't you get it? _This is IT. _The grand finale, the last dance. Didn't you pay attention to anything Niha showed you? You're Shuichi's _prince! _You know of fairy tales, right?"

"**_SHUICHI'S WAITING FOR YOU, EIRI! DEUS DOESN'T DESERVE HIM! YOU DON'T THINK YOU'RE WORTH ANYTHING, BUT YOU ARE! AN ANGEL FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU! GO GET HIM! AND DON'T LOOK BACK!"_**

He gripped his weapons with a ferocity that was restrained by passionate sorrow. Rain continued to stream from his eyes as he searched for fire, but missed any sight of it. His grievous eyes rose to the cold skies, which were silent when it came to emotion. There weren't any hearts to him; no one was around, no one was with him. The one that had made the decision to accompany him was now _dead._

_Dead. His one and only brother...gone._

His eyes had kept themselves under curtains for an eternity, but with the echoes of encouragement came the advent of strength. Fire finally coursed its way into Eiri's heart as he heard his brother's inspiration, which had struck him with enthusiastic force. Silver thunder entered his eyes as the world around him began to turn, emitting the echoes of his brother's voice. Something became clear to him, and that 'something' brought an enormous amount of fire to his broken heart. Tatsuha was aware of his fate, and he met it **_bravely. _**There hadn't been a scrap of fear in sight; the young priest had held his head high, and kept his heart ready for the end. He had even carried out playful banter with his brother, knowing full well that he was due to meet his end at Remyx's hands.

_**And he had encouraged Eiri to meet HIS fate with the same ferocity.**_

Determination blossomed within the novelist's eyes as he increased his grip upon his blades. His loyal weapons took on the soul of silver moonlight; they became bright beacons of silver fire, blades of impenetrable fervor. His heart quietly drummed upon the cell of apprehension, and his eyes scanned the silent environment. It was Tokyo, no doubt about it, but it wasn't the _true _Tokyo. It wasn't the Tokyo he had found his angel in. **_It wasn't the Tokyo that would witness his return. _**After another minute of silence, words withdrew themselves from his mouth. His voice was quiet, yet filled with the awe-inspiring opulence of thunder. His eyes were no different.

"You wanted me to go after him. **_I'm going after him all right."_**

Strong energy waves were coming from the north. They were implausibly strong waves, ones that could only come from a deity. With newborn courage, Eiri created a stronger grip upon his weapons and dove into the obscurity, rushing toward the ultimate arena. Emotions soared through his body at an incomprehensible force, each of them filled with inexplicable, overwhelming power. Sorrow, anger, anxiety, hope...all of them coursed through his body with a power he had never experienced before, and probably would never experience again. Strands of his hair threatened to eliminate his vision as his legs carried him to the final battleground.

* * *

_I was ignorant, all right._

_I took you for granted, assumed that you would always be by my side..._

_And I never saw the truth. I didn't know..._

_...that you had left the heavens..._

_...just to find ME._

_You spent your whole life waiting for me..._

_...and I was completely oblivious to EVERYTHING._

_You kept yourself near me, held me, treasured me..._

_...and I, in turn, gave my heart to you._

_I confessed everything. I opened my soul to you, and you accepted everything..._

_You always smiled at me, told me you loved me..._

_**You always believed in me.**_

_No matter what happened, you never left my side._

_Once I find you, Shuichi..._

_Once I have you back in my arms..._

_I swear...**I'm NEVER letting you go.**_

_**Once our paths meet, they're going to become ONE.

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**_

His legs carried him through the rainstorm at a speed that normally would have been inhumane. Adrenaline brought his speed to an unbelievable level, pushed him towards the finish line and increased the beating of his heart, which was already screaming within the wings of unborn perpetuity. He had never experienced such dynamic fire before, and wasn't about to forget it for a very long time. He was welcomed to the field of a runner, one that spent his entire life upon the track, carrying themselves to their own goal. Every vein within his body was alive, filled with the pulsating vigor of a million lions. Every inch of his skin was crawling with adrenaline, even though it was satiated under a pillar or rain. His eyes were havens of unyielding determination, and his soul was **_screaming _**in an incomprehensible language. It was a power he could never fathom; it was a power no human would **_ever _**be able to fathom.

_**It was a power that had been born within the skies of true love.**_

Ten minutes elapsed, and a tsunami of cold ice mutilated the entire realm. The darkened side of Tokyo was transformed into an endless field of dark starlight, one that possessed many roads to eternal chasms. The transformation caused the novelist to dispel a previous belief; he had failed to believe that there was an 'end' to the Earth. However, his current environment caused that belief to become horrendously ridiculous. He was on the very edge of the Earth, immersed in the consumption of blackness. The skies were now darker than they had been before, and even colder. The buildings had fallen into ghastly formations, ones that caused them to appear ancient and ethereal. Every road was drenched in sheer darkness, and there were gales flowing; excruciatingly cold gales. Nevertheless, none of those alterations alarmed Eiri. What had his attention was the building in front of him.

It was a castle, one that soared beyond the heavens themselves. Not a single method could measure it properly, for it defied every boundary of human knowledge. It was bathing in oceans of rain, but the tremendous waves failed to damage the establishment. The castle was **_white, _**but it held a sickening aura of black poison about it, one that would have made a weaker soul vomit. In the true manner of a fairy tale castle, the castle possessed several towers, each of them tipped with the sharpness of a dragon's claw. It was as if the creator of the castle had read every fairy tale in existence, and had decided to add his own essence of evil to his creation.

Before Eiri was a door, one that would carry him to the source of godly energy. The handle to the door was no more than an inch from his face, but the door was tremendously high. The novelist sheathed his weapons, placed a hand upon the doorknob and twisted it a little...then his heart met with even more memories. The smiles of his loved ones, including his brother Tatsuha, flew through his mind at the speed of light. Even the Lady Niha, who had been a mere stranger during the first phase of their journey, was kin to him...and held a very special place within his heart. The sovereign had probably wanted to assist him, but she knew she had to watch over his remaining friends.

The thought of his remaining companions caused him to wince, and he removed his hand from the knob. Hiroshi had placed himself in mortal danger, just to revive Tatsuha and Ryuichi. Ryuichi had taken over Sigurd for him, just so _he _could rush off to the temple..._with _the assistance of his brother, Tatsuha. Sigurd had been no mere pushover; the loyal Sakuma was probably hovering between simple defeat and death. All of his companions were probably in grave danger, perilously close to catching a seat within death's chambers.

Thoughts of his last sibling, Mika, came to mind...accompanied with the image of his childhood friend, Tohma Seguchi. With the disappearance of those images came the advent of a painfully familiar image...one that symbolized lost time and broken affection. It was the image of an individual he had seen many times throughout his life, but had failed to create a deeper contact with him. It was the image of his _father, _someone that had been a mere stranger to him...but it was someone he missed dearly. With the image of his father came a surge of fire. He clasped a hand to his heart and released his voice to the thunderous heavens, filled with valor.

"Father...Tatsuha...Mika...**_all of you..._**just watch me."

He returned his hand to the doorknob, twisted it...

_...and was instantly exposed to..._

**_...silence.

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_**

The door closed itself behind him as he created several steps through his new environment, which was evidently a throne room. It was massive; it had to have been at least a hundred yards long. The walls were indescribably high, and they too were drenched in demonic whiteness. Satiny blue carpet sat beneath his feet, bearing a secretive smile about its flawless seams. There wasn't a single soul within the room; once again, he was alone, left to his own thoughts. However, another presence **_was_** near...and it was the owner of phenomenal energy. Feeling a like a tadpole in the midst of a massive menagerie, he carefully observed his surroundings with a firm grip upon his weapons...as the energy level rose higher and higher. His solitary confinement came to an end within sixty seconds.

"Well well well. Yuki! You made it!"

A gasp tore itself from the novelist's throat, simultaneous with the birth of blossoming light. White light brought the throne room to life as the novelist's eyes soared to the balcony of the throne room, which was the host for a horrendously familiar entity. A painfully recognizable smile pierced his shocked heart within a flash.

"It's nice to see you...after all of this time. I'm sorry for your loss, by the way. I wish your brother could have joined our dance."

Horror stole the power of speech, which left Eiri standing in a frozen fighter's stance, _with _an open jaw. The ability returned to him with passionate fervor after a moment, though, and returned the novelist's fire. His voice, although in its usual qualities, was vibrant with immeasurable rage.

"It's really nice to see you too, Deus. I've missed you! Oh, and about my brother..."

Pain struck him for a second, but he bravely transformed it into power. He remembered what Lady Niha had said in regards to her father's passing; he would always remain with her, as long as she kept his memories alive within her soul.

"...I'm all right. Thanks for the sentiment, though. I appreciate it."

Eiri **_hated_** his host. **_He hated him with an undying, unparalleled passion._**

Deus Kyren, the Demon Sovereign of Darkness, came forth in all of his glory. There was a maddening smile about his face, one that sent massive waves of hatred through Eiri's bloodstream. The novelist prepared himself for an attack as he studied his enemy; the sovereign, who had once been an ally of Anuryn, was dressed in new attire. He was no longer in a simple black coat; he was in a black coat that was equipped with a cape, and one that possessed a godly aura. It was the coat of a true demon lord, one that would have destroyed a pure heart. His eyes had taken on a new sheen as well; they were devilishly mirthful, filled with ecstasy of the cruelest killer.

"That's good to hear. I imagine all of your colleagues are waiting for you, back in good ol' Anuryn. I'll make sure they'll see you again, dear friend of mine...in pieces."

"**_Enough small talk."_** the novelist snapped, eliminating the usage of profanity. Under normal circumstances, he would have used it in a heartbeat. The mere presence of Deus rendered all profanity meaningless. Eiri **_truly_** hated him with a passion.

"**_Where's Shuichi?"_**

Playful confusion struck Deus' eyes for a second, then realization caused them to light up. A part of Eiri's heart immediately fell into savage, scorching fear; something **_tremendous _**was about to occur. Deus released his playful voice into the air, which caused Eiri's heart to **_freeze._**

"Why, I'm glad you asked."

Fear...cold, brutal and icy fear...swallowed Eiri whole. It held him within one place and caused his heart to freeze within his chest; he actually felt it become a cold block of ice, and it wasn't because of the gales streaming through the throne room. A thousand red flags had gone up within his mind, each of them borne about the arms of a frantic messenger. His veins became cold, which caused his blood to become a solid block of ice. Breathing became impossible. All basic functions became excruciating tasks.

_**The expiration of five seconds caused his heart to unleash an excruciating JUMP.**_

"_**LET ME GO! TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME! I SAID LET ME GO!"**_

A black wave of incomprehensible nausea struck him. It was instantaneously restrained, but that restraint transformed it into a colossal headache. Shock, unparalleled shock, flooded his eyes as screams poured into his ears...

"_**GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE!"**_

Two seconds later, the world came to a **_complete stop._**

_**Time froze and lost all of its meaning.**_

Deus Kyren made his return...**_with Shuichi._**

The mind frame of a human crumbled. Eiri Uesugi lost **_all_** basic functions, including the ability to breathe. The ability to **_blink _**was no longer within his grasp. All time had come to a complete stop...as the galaxy carried him further through the frozen present, which had been transformed into an icy realm of unknown territory. Completely frozen, Eiri kept his eyes on the angel...and the angel kept his eyes on him.

For an eternity the two of them gazed upon each other, trapped within cold, unexplored silence. Shock poured forth from both hearts as their eyes absorbed each other. Both pairs were filled with the confusion of a severely disoriented animal; one pair looked as if they belonged to a stunned kitten, who had been placed into the domain of a polar bear. The other pair belonged to a wolf, one that had just been reunited with a long-lost mate. Both souls were completely frozen, unable to believe that they were in the midst of eternity...feeling as if they had been tossed into a new realm of existence. An eternity elapsed between them, then a smile blossomed on the face of the angel...the very one that had been kept within confinement for so long. The smile was **_beautiful_**, radiant with the pristine luminosity of a thousand sunrises. It was truly the most beautiful melody Eiri had ever witnessed...one that **_proved _**the angel was truly right in front of him. He was still dressed in the ethereal attire he had worn within the market...and...his smile was just too damn beautiful, too bright for words...

"_**Yuki!"**_

Eiri **_tried _**to come up with something. The ability to speak had not yet returned. _Perhaps it was because he still couldn't breathe._

"_**I knew you'd find me, Yuki! I just knew you would! I knew you wouldn't give up on me! I just knew I'd see you again!"**_

The next second broke the spell which had been placed upon the novelist. Deus had roughly pulled the angel close to him, which created another fit of wrestling from the young songbird. Indescribable anger began to well within the angel's prince as his eyes observed Deus' actions; the sovereign evidently wanted to silence the songbird...

"_**LET ME GO! PLEASE! DEUS, PLEASE LET ME GO!"**_

His violet eyes soared out to Eiri, radiant with unbreakable love...radiant with unyielding wishes, fervent desires...radiant with **_fear..._**

"_**YUUUKI!"**_

_**Cold, raw wrath consumed the novelist's drenched body. **_

"_**If you don't take your hands off of him..."**_

"_**YUKI! YUUUKI!"**_

_Deus brought an arm around the songbird's throat, which caused the young one to fall into a realm of tears. Whimpering, the angel kept himself still within the demon's hands...gluing his eyes to his prince. The sovereign unsheathed a pair of black wings, which caused the angel to begin a fit of shivering._

"_If you don't mind, I'd like to extract the key now."_

_The demon placed a hand upon the sobbing angel's thigh. Remembering Sigurd's filthy words, Eiri allowed his newborn anger to place him within another stance. The demon slowly ran his hand up the quivering angel's thigh, which caused the immaculate songbird to cry out in sadness._

"_**I swear, if you don't take your filthy hands off of him..."**_

_Anger had taken the reigns of his mind. It had taken over every vein, every inch of his skin. It had swallowed him, placed him into a new world of unexplored possibilities. It was savage, merciless and unbreakable, like the soul of a god. His eyes kept themselves upon the demon, who was enjoying every inch of the shivering angel's skin. Memories soared throughout his mind as his weapons glimmered with a newborn light...as the demon crept closer and closer to his desired location._

_The angel's eyes were solid, iridescent pools of violet beauty, filled with ethereal sadness..._

"_Yuki...Yuuuuki..."_

_**Something within the prince SNAPPED. An ocean of light tore itself from his heart as his heart emitted a roar, which entered the cold air with vehemence. His voice struck his enemy with unparalleled fervor, and it shattered the barrier of sound. Unfortunately, it pierced the walls in unison with another event.**_

"_**I SAID GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF MY ANGEL!"**_

_Silver light consumed the throne room as the prince's words echoed throughout the palace halls, exuding a resplendence that would have sent a pride of lions to their knees. As soon as it vanished, it left the prince in a new state; his uniform was completely white, tinged with the delicate luminosity of a pink pearl. His weapons had taken on new appearances as well; they were silver blades, which had been fashioned after tridents, accompanied with silvery white hilts._

_Within a second, the prince's heart lunged within his chest. He realized that he was in silence once again...completely alone. Excruciating horror struck him as soon as his enemy reappeared, bearing an even stronger pair of wings. The demon's eyes were vibrantly red, filled with the endless mirth of a savage being. The angel was nowhere in sight._

"_Once again I've taken your angel...right in front of you. How do you feel, mortal?"_

_Fire seemed to be the natural accompaniment to Anurynian battles. White flames rose around the combatants as they brandished their weapons. The prince was lost in horror, the demon was raging in triumphant glory._

"_I now possess the key to immortality. Your precious songbird is asleep, but don't worry. I'll take good care of him. He'll spend the rest of eternity, pining after his precious soul mate...while I take in every last sip of him."_

_Cold, raw fear had taken the place of raw anger. The demon possessed the ultimate key, one that had presented him with a chance at immortality. The prince gazed upon his sworn enemy's face, feeling his heart shatter. The demon now had the ultimate key. Invincibility was within his black grasp, and he was a second away from earning it. The world was about to crumble._

_He placed firm faith into one last bit of hope. He grasped his newborn weapons and sent a wave of eternity through his eyes, dispelling previous beliefs...ridding himself of all ignorance. The demon grinned at him, emitting an aura that was superior to his. He was filled with immortal evil, demonic perpetuity. The gates of the heavens opened themselves and began a vigil over the combatants, who would decide the fate of their beloved angel._

_The winds of destiny were howling._

_Eiri 'Yuki' Uesugi, Tokyo's greatest novelist, and a former sovereign of Anuryn, Deus Kyren..._

_...were about to begin their final dance.

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_

-This chapter was **_not _**meant to turn out that way. I'm really glad it did, though. Everything slowly fell into place, and it turned out to be perfect. I hope that the italicized font didn't confuse anyone. I did that for two reasons; to strengthen the emotion of the scenes, and to give the atmosphere a 'fairy tale', 'surreal' feel.

Nya! I hope all of you are ready for 'Final Confrontation'! Thank you for reading, and feel free to leave a Robin cookie!


	24. Final Confrontation Pt1

Welcome to 'Final Confrontation' everyone! Thank you for enjoying the emotional roller coaster ride! I'm very glad to be here! And you know what else? I've spent countless hours planning this finale, so YOU'D BETTER ENJOY IT! OR ELSE! Just kidding, suuuu! Thank you for sticking with me for so long!

I have updates on another project, 'Forever'. First off, let me tell everyone that 'Forever' is going to be a 'Gravitation' wedding, with our one and only beloved couple. I am happy to announce that I finally understand the anxiety a wedding planner has to go through. There are a whole lot of questions when it comes to planning the greatest wedding of all time! So many, in fact, that I only gave myself three hours of sleep one night! Mwee hee hee! Just so all of you know, it'll take place within Tokyo Disneyland, and it'll be dedicated to the one-and-only Dejichan! Mwee hee hee! Learning about weddings is a lot of fun, yes it is...

Finally, on with the show. Please kick back and enjoy the grand finale! Mwee!

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_Theme of 'Final Confrontation': 'Sanctuary' of Kingdom Hearts 2 OST, 'Waltz of the Damned' of Kingdom Hearts 2 OST.

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_

_The author, JulinX, would like to send a special dedication to 'Invalid', a new addition to the fanfic family. It was a small piece, but every line took her breath away. It was an immaculate dive into Eiri Yuki's feelings.

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_

_A scattered dream that's like a far-off memory. A far-off memory that's like a scattered dream. I wanna line the pieces up; yours...and mine. -Sora_

_Golden cascades were falling over the streets of Tokyo. Hearts were placing themselves within blankets of serenity, filled with high hopes for the advent of dawn. Smiles were shared between family members, and kisses were passed between lovers as they calmly made their way home, happy with the day's departure. Children happily kept themselves within their parent's embrace, grinning and laughing with newborn memories. The streets, which had been so loud and vibrant throughout the day, were now quiet and tranquil._

_Several people were sitting within the confinement of a park, enjoying the company of their loved ones. Many were happily discussing pleasant occurrences; others were discussing business. Two hearts were sitting next to each other, about to embark on another journey of distant love. One heart was satiated in sadness, filled with the heart-rending despondency of an abandoned infant; the other was optimistic, ready and willing to cheer up the miserable soul. There were two ice cream cones within his hand, and a warm smile was on his face, evidently crafted from a golden beam of tranquility._

_The two cones within his hand were sources of enjoyment. He knew that his companion loved the pure sweetness of ice cream; hopefully, it would manage to lift his spirits from ground zero. He passed the strawberry flavored one to him, but received only a weak smile in return. Normally, the presence of strawberry ice cream delighted his companion to no end; now it was just a meager source of comfort, one that could only lend an ear to his sorrow. His violet eyes fell into iridescence as he stared at the cone for an eternity, then sadly gave it a fragile lick._

"_What's wrong, Shu? You haven't been yourself at all today!"_

_The strawberry cone fell into a void, one that was filled with eternal silence. It became lonely and forgotten, unwanted and saddened. A small stream began to descend from its abandoned body as Shuichi Shindou removed his attention from it, and placed his sorrowful eyes upon his friend. The vocalist's eyes captured a beam of sunlight flawlessly, and held it with the radiance of crystallized glass. The beam gave both of his eyes a glassy sheen, and it brought an ethereal touch of emotion to his voice. Normally, human beings weren't able to hold beams of sunlight within their eyes._

"_I dunno..."_

"_Aw, don't give me that." a young Hiroshi Nakano said playfully, sending a jovial slap to his dearest friend's back. "I know something's wrong. You're ignoring your ice cream, pal; that thing should have been gone seconds ago. What is it that you need to tell me?"_

_Shuichi's eyes slowly lowered themselves to the ground, which was a boundless bed of grass beneath his feet. Sunlight bounced off of every blade merrily, and seemed to smile at him with fervent grace. After a moment of silence, he answered his friend with the frailty of a mournful toddler. "I turned someone else down today." he said, unable to look his friend in the eye. "And..."_

"_And what?" Hiroshi asked, no longer basking in the serenity of joviality. His eyes were filled with concern; Shuichi sounded like a timid child that had just been pushed around by a gang of bullies, and was afraid to admit it. The answer he received confirmed his worst fear._

"_He laughed at me."_

_As the sun began its journey into slumber, the delicate angel buried his face within his hands. Before he could fall into a portal of tears, however, his companion brought him into a soft embrace. Hiroshi's voice was soft and gentle, like the affectionate heart of a brother. It drifted into the saddened angel's ears like a zephyr, wanting to bring an end to the tender soul's pain._

"_Don't pay any attention to it. Don't pay any attention to ANYONE. You know what you're doing."_

"_But..." Shuichi pulled himself out of his friend's embrace, unwilling to accept comfort. Normally, he would have sent appreciation to his friend in a heartbeat. Something was wrong this time, though. He was an individual that had just found out the truth about Santa Claus' existence, and was unwilling to accept the fact that he had been played false for so many years._

"_What if they're right, Hiro? What if I'm waiting for someone...that doesn't exist?"_

"_You're not making any sense, Shu. Come on, believe in yourself! What happened to all of your enthusiasm? You KNOW your dreams aren't fake!"_

_Tears wrenched themselves out of Shuichi's eyes, which brought an even tighter embrace upon him. He buried his face in Hiroshi's chest, soaking the sanctuary with crystallized streams of innocence. Prior to the embrace, his ice cream cone was tossed out of his hand, for it had been unwanted from the very start of its visit. He wrapped his arms around his compassionate friend and buried his tears through his friend's soul, wanting some kind of end to his pain. His voice, which was already pristine and frail, came through turbulent sheets of sadness._

"_I don't know...I just don't know...I don't wanna go home..."_

"_Why not?" Hiro asked him gently, stroking his head of pink hair._

"_I can't...not again...it's just...so lonely there...I don't wanna be alone anymore..."_

"_Hey. You've got to keep your head high. You'll find him, Shu."_

"_I don't know...sometimes, it's just...too hard...too hard to wait...I'm sorry..."_

_The golden orb vanished from sight, leaving behind a dimly lit sky of golden passion. A minute elapsed before Shuichi spoke again, his hoarse voice breaking his friend's heart. He was a heartbroken animal, one that refused all normal sources of pleasure and comfort...one that no longer had the will to live._

"_I'm sorry...I'm really, really sorry...I just...I wanna see him...if...he's really out there...I don't wanna wait anymore..."_

_Hiroshi's heart plummeted into the newborn night, unable to conjure a suitable solution to his friend's problem. Secretive desires soared to the surface of his mind, but he restrained them, due to the birth of his friend's dreams. Shuichi was already promised to another; there was no way he could act out his most fervent aspirations. So the only thing he could offer was 'brotherly comfort'._

"_You'll find him. I know you will. Just keep at it, all right?"_

"_Nooo..."_

_He was TOO cute whenever he did that. Hiroshi couldn't refrain from giving him a little kiss on the head. "Tell you what." he said, smiling like a parent that had just witnessed their infant's first steps. "I'll hang with you tonight. We'll head off to school together. And if anyone tries to pick you up, they'll have to deal with me. Deal?"_

_The sweet thing looked so sad. He shook his head fervently as blue luminescence filled Tokyo's skies. "I don't want you to..."_

"_Too bad. Let's go."

* * *

_

_As the days went on, I held my spirit high._

_My dreams mingled with reality, but they never found me._

_I began to lose hope._

_I began to lose faith...in everything I had believed in._

_At times, I thought I would never find you._

_I thought I'd spend the rest of my life, searching for a dream...and nothing more._

_I waited and waited, tangled in cold sheets of twilight._

_My heart held my dreams, but my spirit wavered._

_I thought I would never find the one...that was truly meant for me._

_No matter how hard I smiled, no matter how hard I tried to hold back my tears..._

_I couldn't stop thinking...what if I never see you?_

_But then...my eyes fell upon a miracle._

_The pieces of my dreams came together...and..._

_...they led me...to you.

* * *

_

"_**Hiro! Hiro! Guess what! Guess what!"**_

_A pink bolt of lightning barreled right into Hiroshi Nakano, Bad Luck's beloved guitarist. At first its physique was unidentifiable, due to its frantic movements and hurried speech, but its voice was quite familiar to the shocked musician. It was producing speech at an alarming, phenomenal rate, and its eyes were even brighter than stars. It seemed to be excited about something; it was as if its dearest dreams had come to pure, vibrant life. It wouldn't stop bouncing all over him, either. Containing its excitement seemed to be unbearably difficult._

"_GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT? GUESS WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT!"_

"_**WHAT happened, Shu? Come on, get off of me!"**_

_**Suguru Fujisaki, the second musician within Bad Luck, exchanged solemn glances with Claude K.Winchester, the band's manager. The vocalist playfully continued to bounce upon the guitarist, definitely unable to contain his excitement about something. It was as if the stars had fallen out of the sky, just for him. "What happened, Shindou?" K asked, his voice bearing sleek nonchalance. "Did Mickey Mouse visit you?"**_

_**The vocalist's facial expression made him think of starlit diamonds.**_

"_**NO! I FOUND HIM! I FOUND HIM!"**_

"_**Who?" Suguru asked, apparently annoyed with the delay in the band's rehearsal. Shuichi pulled Hiroshi from the ground and dusted him off, bearing enough energy to fly to the moon. His face was beautifully bright, one that could have been captured within an artist's masterpiece. "MY PRINCE! I FOUND HIM!"** he cried out happily, tears streaming from his violet eyes. **"Hiro, it finally happened! You were right! I found him! He's real!"**_

_A grin bloomed across the guitarist's face. He removed a sheet of his luxuriant brown hair from his face, emitting merriment in his best friend's direction. "Are you SURE about this, Shu?" he asked carefully, placing a hand on his hip. "I don't want you to be excited all over nothing. Are you ABSOLUTELY SURE you found him?"_

"_**Yes! Hold on a minute!"**_

_**Within seconds Shuichi produced a book from his pink knapsack, smiling as if he had just found humanity's greatest gift. Hiroshi and Suguru exchanged confused glances with each other, but their manager identified the nature of the book in a flash. "It's Eiri Yuki's latest novel." he said, speaking as if he were in the midst of a tedious business meeting. Shuichi's face became even brighter.**_

"_**Hold the phone." Hiroshi said, placing a warm hand upon the vocalist's shoulder. "You mean...your prince...is Eiri Yuki, the romance novelist?"**_

_**Like a puppy that had just found a new home, Shuichi nodded.**_

"_**And guess what else? I'm going to move in with him!"**_

"_Whoa whoa whoa! Slow down there!" Hiroshi said softly, noticing the skeptical look on Suguru's face. K returned to a pile of paperwork, carrying no interest within the vocalist's newborn reality. "How did this happen? You said you found him last NIGHT?"_

"_Yeah! In Shizouka Park! You see, I was writing lyrics and stuff, and one of my sheets flew away from me. He found it for me, and I knew it was HIM! He's a little mean, but that's okay! I'm just happy to know that he's HERE! I found the one I've been dreaming of!"

* * *

_

_You were right in front of me, for so many days, so many nights._

_I tormented you, held myself away from you..._

_...but you believed in me._

_You held onto me, and never took your arms away..._

_...once._

_You always smiled at me, kept me warm and happy..._

_...even when I shattered that precious smile of yours._

_You spent your entire life waiting for me, Shuichi..._

_...so now...I'm going to make sure...our hearts meet...once and for all.

* * *

_

White blades danced around the throne room, holding an unyielding vigil over the two combatants. Silver moonlight flooded the room as blades fell upon blades, and battle cries pierced the white walls of the throne room. Each blow was met with elegant agility, every challenge was met with fervent strength...the two warriors unleashed their deepest emotions, their deepest flames and aspirations. Power surged through their weapons as they fell upon each other, emitting bright waves of exuberant light upon the battlefield.

Eiri Uesugi exected his arsenal of moves with astounding speed, graceful dexterity and savage spirit. He maneuvered his body in a way that would have shamed a hardcore martial artist, for he gave the breath of life to every limb of his body. His arms, legs and even fingers took on hearts and minds of their own, bearing the desire to eliminate their opponent. His blades, which had been fashioned in the form of tridents, were radiant weapons of a god; they glimmered with divinity after the delivery of an attack, and absorbed their wielder's emotions.

Deus fought back with an equal amount of elegance. The demon's moves were awesome, powerful enough to break every barrier of human knowledge. His enemy managed to dodge many of his attacks, but his blade managed to initiate contact with his enemy's flesh several times. However, their successful landings brought about no cries of pain. They only strengthened his enemy's resolve. With every passing second, the passion within the battlefield rose higher and higher...as the white flames continued to dance around the harbingers of destiny.

Nevertheless, the battle came to a strange halt after the expiration of twenty minutes. The two of them had fallen into their fifth deadlock, prior to the expiration of those precious minutes, and Deus took it upon himself to shatter it. He broke away from his opponent in silence, sheathed his weapon and removed himself from his true form, looking as if he had just witnessed the worst baseball game in history. Confusion consumed his mortal enemy as the white flames vanished without a trace, and the dark sovereign folded his arms with a yawn. Silence elapsed between them for a moment, then confusion transformed itself into wrath upon the novelist's eyes. His voice was immeasurably hard, cold and fervently scornful, like the heart of a betrayed eagle.

"_**What's wrong with you?"**_

Deus said nothing. He acted as if Eiri had never arrived within his palace halls.

"_**DEUS! WHAT'S GOTTEN INTO YOU? WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"**_

Eiri's throat had become excruciatingly sore. He had never performed such dynamic speech before in his life, and so his body wasn't accustomed to shouting at incredibly high volumes. He had never felt immoderate hatred well within him either. He felt as if he were facing the creator of evil, the father of death himself.

It was as if a battle had never even started between the two of them. Deus looked at his livid enemy, bearing the nonchalance of a bored scientist, one that had seen the same experiment fifteen times in a row. Eiri gritted his teeth as his blades returned to their respective havens, and silence tormented him for an eternity. Deus spoke to him after the departure of that eternity, his voice bearing the sick mirth of a sadistic murderer.

"Nothing, really. I'm quite bored."

Like a child staring at a housefly, Deus stood before his wrathful enemy. Incalculable confusion struck Tokyo's novelist in a heartbeat, and it united with overwhelming wrath. He lowered his fighting stance but kept his eyes on his enemy, thoroughly confused by the interruption. "What's _with _you?" he asked the demon, his voice soft but still heavy with unfathomable hatred. Deus didn't even bother to _look _at him.

"To tell you the truth, I'm _disgusted. _I do believe that I should just end your miserable existence, right here and now. I'm _tired _of playing around."

_**Nauseating fear crashed into Eiri's bloodstream.**_

"Don't tell me...you've been **_pulling my leg _**this whole time..."

Deus smiled. On the face of a child, it would have been an adorable smile. On his face, however, it was sickening and venomous; enough to make any child **_vomit._** "Of course I've been fooling you, mortal." he said happily, enjoying the look of horror on Eiri's face. "Don't get me wrong. You are quite impressive. 'Shuichi' must've been amused by your flexibility."

Normally, anger would have erupted from Eiri in the form of a volcano. Unfortunately, he knew the truth; Deus erased all boundaries of human comprehension and description. Anger was meaningless against the personification of evil. Besides, all he did was _laugh _at it anyway.

"This entire battle is rather...for the lack of a better word..._stupid. _My dear friend, you hardly know what you're fighting for. All you can see is your precious little prize, your precious little 'Shu-chan'."

Whenever a child's beliefs were laughed at, the child fell into an abyss of sorrow. They became saddened and confused, unable to believe that someone would take it upon themselves to crush their very soul. Eiri became a confused, astonished child; tears shot into his eyes, but he managed to keep them there. However, things only became worse.

"Perhaps I should tell you what I'm fighting for, dear friend."

Strutting about in the manner of a dignified gentleman, Deus paced around the room with impenetrable confidence. His soft yet devilish voice echoed throughout the palace halls, capturing the full attention of his appalled opponent. "You see," he began, unable to restrain a mirthful grin. "I wish to **_erase _**every trace of humanity, and create a **_new _**utopia. A new utopia, filled with eternal prosperity and beauty. There won't be any humans upon my new land; the only other soul will be the angel, the resplendent seraph of _**glorious **beauty. _I've dreamt of going against the heavens for so long; I've dreamt of ruining their plans...I've dreamt of capturing their most **_beautiful _**angel."

Disgust caused Eiri's eyes to widen even further. Something became horrifyingly clear; Deus had lost his position as a Priest, due to his corruptive intentions. Unfortunately, his thoughts were unable to flow among horror for long. In mere seconds, Deus brought an ethereal piece of art to life; it was a crystallized rendition of an angel, which was placed underneath their feet. The novelist's weapons fell from his hands as soon as his eyes fell upon the empyrean piece; the angel was a flawless personification of beauty, one with iridescent pink hair and soft white wings. His arms were folded across his chest, and his eyes were closed, shut against effervescent waves of dewdrops. A pink uniform was against his curvaceous body, which was drenched in a sea of topaz radiance.

Deus watched as his opponent glued his eyes to the image. The demon had driven a stake through his enemy's heart; that fact was loud and clear. After a moment drifted through eternity's stream, the sovereign walked over to his enemy and placed a 'comforting' hand upon his back...

_**...smiling.**_

"You understand now. Good boy."

_This time, Eiri was the silent one._

_**Deus patted Eiri on the head.**_

"Good, _good _boy. It certainly took you long enough."

_**The tears he had held back...could be restrained no longer.**_

_**Deus was just...too cruel...**_

"You see, I'm not trying to do anything 'bad'. All I want to do is this; restore the angel's _true _beauty. I can give him eternity; you can offer him **_nothing._**"

_**Nothing.**_

"He wasn't meant to live among _mortals, _and he certainly wasn't meant to be with **_you. _**Oh, don't give me that look. You sincerely believe that he **_loves _**you? **_How could he? _**You're a grimy, pitiable and **_disgusting_** waste of air. Why, you said so yourself that you were a 'revolting beast'. You said it many, _many _times...**_and don't try to deny it."_**

_**He wasn't angry. He wasn't furious, wasn't irate or bitter...**_

_**He wasn't beside himself in fury, wasn't overwhelmed by hatred...**_

_**He was just...**_

_**...sad.**_

_His weapons vanished into a realm of nothingness, unable to hear their owner's distant heart. His uniform, which had been a miraculous blend of silver and white, also vanished...and left him in the attire he had arrived in. He was left with nothing...and felt even smaller than an insect..._

"You see, what you had with that _angel _was pointless. There was no true meaning to it; it was all one...big...joke**_."_**

_A 'joke'?_

Everything they had shared, everything they had whispered...

All of their passionate nights, all of their dreams...

"What angel could truly love a tiny mortal? I find the thought of your _'relationship' _quite amusing, really. I do believe that your precious _'Shuichi' _only felt _sorry _for you. After all, you **_did _**have the darkest, **_ugliest_** soul. And 'Shuichi' _is _the softest, most benevolent angel. How could you possibly think that he truly chose _you _to be his mate? The poor thing only felt **_pity_** for you."

_**He repeated his newfound toy into Eiri's ear...smiling.**_

"_**Pity...pity...PITY."**_

_Eiri Uesugi fell to his knees, his face covered in his hands._

_Deus continued to smile._

_In mere seconds, he had managed to SQUASH his opponent.

* * *

_

_­_-I do apologize for the interruption. I'm afraid I won't be able to finish right now, so 'Confrontation' will have to be sliced into two parts. I hope all of you loved Deus' 'wonderful' role within this chapter. Writing his lines was a lot of fun; I've never made such a sick character before. Small fact; Eiri's no longer in his 'Final Form'; due to his loss of spirit, he has reverted back to his first form. It looks like someone needs some encouragement!

Rest assured, the second half will come soon. Thank you very much!


	25. Final Confrontation Pt2

Welcome to 'Final Confrontation, Part 2'! Eee hee hee, I can feel the excitement surging through my fingers! I do hope everyone enjoyed the first half of the finale! Rest assured, I will continue to put forth my best efforts in order to make this memorable! Thank you for reading, to all of my friends!

Just an hour ago, I read 'Sweet Randomness', another fic by my dear friend Bloody-May. If you have a craving for sugary comedy, I suggest you take a look at that brilliant piece. I'm glad I have such an awesome friend at my side! THANK YOU BLOODYMAY! THANK YOU SO MUCH! That made my day! I needed it, badly!

Other masterpieces are popping up like weeds! I'm glad so many people love Miss Maki's creation! I became obsessed with it in December of last year, and I'm still going strong. LOVE TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE! WISH ME LUCK ON THIS! I HOPE I DO WELL!

* * *

_Theme of 'Final Confrontation, Part.2': 'Waltz of the Damned' and 'Sanctuary' of Kingdom Hearts 2 OST. Please note that Eiri still has Sora's fighting style. His little twirls, which will occur at a turn point, were inspired by Sora's 'Drive' stances (I love how he twirls his Keyblades, woot!).

* * *

_

Human beings held cherished dreams close to their hearts. They kept them near and nourished them, unwilling to let them drown underneath insecurity. Dreams were nurtured within the hearts of their owners, and beliefs were born from each brush of affection. Within the hearts of every living entity, dreams produced bountiful standards and bestowed them upon the daily routine of humanity. There was an extensive menagerie of beliefs; children held precious beliefs of Santa Claus, young ones held passionate dreams of love, and others held dreams of prospering business projects.

Many had high endurance levels. Disregarding the thoughts of others, they held their dreams without hesitation. High heads and high hearts were the keys to impassable stamina. They turned away from skeptics, bearing either smugness or confidence about their faces. Unfortunately, many weren't able to ignore brutal criticism. Whenever someone launched an attack on their beloved beliefs, their heart was pierced by arrows of dejection. Children were vulnerable to dejection, for their dreams were rapidly crushed by the ongoing stream of truth. Many young ones became infuriated when others refused to support their dreams. Others unleashed their fury upon every element in their presence. They were several degrees to criticism, though; several individuals enjoyed throwing darts, others loved to unleash barricades of arrows, and others enjoyed throwing cannons.

Eiri Uesugi had been under Deus' cannons for quite some time. Tokyo's greatest novelist had spent his entire journey in Anuryn absorbing his insults, and the advent of meaningless anger followed every emotional assault. He had taken in every piece of slander unsuccessfully; he had allowed every last drop of Deus' insults to affect him in the worst way possible. At the moment he felt as if he were no bigger than an ant, for his enemy's latest attack had **_slaughtered _**his spirit. For an eternity he wandered through shock, feeling as if a stranger had sauntered up to him and whacked him in the head.

With the departure of that eternity, however, came the advent of consciousness. He noticed that he had lost **_everything; _**his uniform had returned to a form he had earned after his first transformation, which was the form of black and silver. He no longer had his loyal tridents, but his **_daggers _**had returned, which was another sign of slack. He had gone through his transformations due to the growth of his spirit; now he was a fish out of water, flopping about in a frying pan. The Lady Niha would probably have his head if she could see him.

The thought of Niha brought about the words of his devoted brother, Tatsuha, The young priest would probably **_skin him alive _**if he could see him. Back within the streets of the deformed Tokyo, the priest had endured his brother's lack of confidence with strict encouragement; he would probably erupt in fury if he could take a look at Eiri's present condition.

"Did Prince Charming mope around while Sleeping Beauty was held within the witch's castle? Did Prince Charming sulk when Snow White was placed into a deep sleep? **_No. _**The guy must've been a major player, but that's off the subject! He never dragged himself around while his princess was in danger! He got upon his horse and shouted **_'I'm going to rescue my woman!'! _**Eiri, you need that same spirit! Don't you get it? _Deus has your lover! Shuichi is YOURS, not his!"_

_Mine?_

He didn't notice it, but his silver daggers began to glow. A dart of anger pierced his eyes, filling him with strength he couldn't put his finger on. In a flash he realized that his current state was going to have a massive impact on the rest of his life; it would forever serve as a reminder that he would be able to cream **_anyone_** that pushed him around. The newborn strength consumed him, reawakened his frozen bloodstream and awakened his dulled senses (which had been stunned by Deus' cruel words).

The demon was still in front of him, talking as if he had all of the time in the universe. He was no longer in his true demon form; he had fallen back into his sophisticated, flawless appearance shortly after he had brought an interruption into their duel. At the moment, he was playing the part of a cocky bully; his blonde hair brought a confident sheen to his eyes, which were already filled with devilish triumph. His arms weren't even in a battle position; they were folded across his chest, making him appear to be a participant at a tea party. Eiri's ears had completely tuned him out, for his first attacks had removed his ability to comprehend anything but this: **_anger._**

Two minutes.

His daggers began to mold themselves into an unidentified form. They were searching for a new form, waiting for their owner to make a decision. A tsunami of ire filled the novelist's eyes as his heart began to pound at an incomprehensible rate, making him feel as if he were being rushed through a time vortex. Claws rose from the pit of his stomach and struck every one of his veins, roaring with the urgency of an endangered feline.

_A joke?_

Deus had stomped on him. He had stomped on him _more than once. _But, there was more. Not only was he responsible for making him feel like a cockroach, he had succeeded in **_shaming_** his relationship with Shuichi Shindou. Both of them saw their relationship as a blessing, _every minute of it; _their nights of unbridled passion, simple conversations and embraces created an ethereal union of untouchable love.

_**That demon had the nerve to STEP on everything they believed in.**_

Tears continued to fall from Eiri's eyes, but they were no longer tears of sorrow. Fire entered the prince's eyes and flooded his entire body, which caused him to close his eyes. Ignoring every one of Deus' words, he focused every drop of his anger into the core of his soul. Many individuals weren't able to endure massive amounts of criticism, and whenever they received it, they allowed it to beat their hearts into submission. Nevertheless, some succeeded in recovering their despondent hearts. Eiri had allowed his heart to flounder for several minutes, unable to believe that **_any_** living being could laugh at something so beautiful...

_**...but now was the time to end EVERYTHING.**_

The demon before him continued to run his mouth, unaware of the distance his enemy had formed between the two of them. After the departure of five minutes, however, his enemy's scornful voice pricked his ears.

"_**Fuck you."**_

The fire within Eiri's voice surprised the sovereign. Confusion brought an end to his rapid onslaughts; his eyes widened as if he had just found out an ancient secret. "What did you say?" he asked, and received an instant answer.

"_**I said 'fuck you'. What's wrong? Can't hear?"**_

His daggers vanished within a pool of starlight. They had made a decision; all they had to do now was _wait _on their owner. Both of them knew that they weren't going to wait a very long time, though.

Deus kept himself within silence, unable to comprehend his enemy's words. Just a few seconds ago, his mortal friend had been on his knees, lost in tears. Now he was on his feet, emitting immoderate waves of hatred...with a lowered head. Rivers were coursing from his eyes, but they were rivers of rage. Like an astonished puppy, the demon titled his head and retrieved his weapon, which had also vanished within a pool of starlight.

"_**What's gotten into YOU all of a sudden?"**_

Silence filled the throne room for an eternity. Deus kept his eyes posted on his silent enemy, who refused to lift his head. Confusion mingled with frustration, then it erupted within the elegant entity's eyes. The silence came to an end, due to the courtesy of his opponent, but it wasn't an ending the demon had expected. His enemy's voice was unstable, shivering like an earthquake of the highest magnitude, but it held some **_awesome _**power.

"_**Do you really want to know? Fine. I'll tell you 'what's gotten into me'. I've had it with you, your friends AND your shitty insults!"**_

His daggers returned to his hands, but they had taken on new forms; they were no longer daggers, and they had thrown off their trident form as well. They were now in the fashion of flames, evidently crafted in the hands of ethereal craftsmen. They were long, silver blades, tipped in the black essence of night and drenched in the quintessence of fire. He placed a firm grip on both of them, then assumed another fighter's stance. His eyes were even stronger than his blades, surprisingly; they were powerful enough to challenge ten gods.

"**_Everything you said is true; I won't argue with that! I know I'm a lowdown, dirty piece of shit, but I'm NOT going to let you trample over my heart anymore! WHAT I'VE SHARED WITH SHUICHI ISN'T MEANINGLESS! HE LOVES ME AND ACCEPTS EVERYTHING I AM, DAMMIT! WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT HIM ISN'T TRUE; HE ISN'T THAT CRUEL! WHAT WE SHARE IS REAL! DON'T LIKE IT, THEN FUCK OFF!"_**

Whenever a rock struck a crystallized window, it produced an ear-shattering effect. The eruption of white light within the throne room created a similar effect; it pierced both warriors brutally, but it only managed to blind one. As soon as it disappeared, it left Eiri in new attire; his body was now tied to a black uniform, which was wondrously complemented by an elegant shade of...

_**...pink.**_

However, the alterations in his uniform were the smallest of changes. Within a flash, he noticed something; he was no longer in the throne room. His feet were rooted upon a rock, which was floating aimlessly in the midst of space. The ability to take in oxygen told him that he wasn't drifting through the 'average' outer space, though. Something was horrendously different about his current location, and that 'something' burned through him like a stake. He was in the midst of a cold, soulless black void, one that consisted of floating rocks and frosty gales. _Stars were soaring throughout the black skies, but they weren't ordinary either._

Deus answered his confusion, standing several feet before him. The novelist kept his place, feeling as if he would fall through an eternal chasm if he even lifted his feet. Deus was standing upon a similar platform, but he seemed to be familiar with his new battlefield. He seemed to be quite pleased with it.

"This is 'Ala'kumer', the End of to _all _Ends. To you outsiders, it is 'Perpetuity'."

Eiri's silent description had been dangerously close. The novelist felt as if he were standing at the edge of the earth; Deus' words failed to bring any doubt to that assumption. The demon grinned at him, speaking as if he had created Perpetuity himself. The entire place seemed to be very dear to him; he looked like a proud father that had raised a demon. Eiri kept a firm grip on his trusty weapons, who would have released a cavalcade of barks if they had been canines. The demon, who had reassumed his true form with the arrival of Perpetuity, continued his enthusiastic explanation, enjoying the anger on his opponent's face.

"Here is where all demon souls come to rest! This is where they find their only comfort, their own solace and relief. Before you are the broken souls of humans and deities alike, my friend. They made an attempt to alter their fate, but their attempts ended in bitter _failure. _If you don't bring an end to your charade, I'm afraid you'll _end up in the same stream!"_

The demon's words failed to intimidate him. As a matter of fact, they only succeeded in completing one mission; they **_encouraged _**him. The anger within his eyes grew as he clenched his weapons, evidently ready to slice his opponent's head off his shoulders. The boundaries of the endless chasm no longer hindered his will to fight; he was ready and willing to conclude their final dance. He kept his eyes on the demon before him, as his black wings blossomed in the everlasting confinements of darkness. The personification of evil smiled through blood-red fangs as his elegant eyes took on a monstrous sheen, filled with the thirst of an obsessed vampire.

"_**YOU'RE IN FOR A TREAT, MY DEAR FRIEND! NO LIVING HUMAN HAS EVER WITNESSED THE GRANDEUR OF 'PERPETUITY' BEFORE, AND OTHER HUMAN WILL! I'VE LEAD YOU HERE, THROGH THE POWER OF THE KEY, AND HERE I SHALL END YOUR PITIFUL EXISTENCE!"**_

Hovering above Earth and the heavens, the two combatants began the final half of their dance. Equipped with the ability of flight, both took to the skies and struck each other, faces bearing heavy exertion, hearts bearing heavy anger. Hearing the cries of eternally lost souls, Eiri Uesugi launched a barricade of attacks at his opponent, all of which were met with phenomenal speed and power. The demon had tossed off his normal exterior of sophistication; he was no longer the sneering, suave entity he had presented himself as. He was now a wrathful demon, one that had been mocked by a mere mortal, one that was towers beneath his status.

Five minutes elapsed between the two of them, but time really had no meaning. Their blades clashed against each other, and the impact created a white beam of golden light. The two warriors broke away from each other, heaving from the birth of countless gashes. For a moment they glowered at each other, emitting dynamic hatred at each other, but then...for some reason...Eiri Uesugi _smiled. _His eyes fell on a certain place, which was located between his enemy's thighs. With the mischief of a fun loving child, he transformed his smile into a cheeky grin, then placed it on Deus' livid face. _He looked like a cat that had finally found a cocky mouse._

"_**What are you looking at, insect?"**_

"Oh..." Eiri replied, grinning within a blanket of refreshing ecstasy. His eyes returned to their chosen target, and he performed an elegant twirl with his newborn blades.

"Nothing."

In mere seconds, Deus realized that his opponent had been looking at more than 'nothing'. Time whipped at his eyes and left him in excruciating pain; his enemy had whipped by him, grinning...a pair of blades had struck him, and before he knew it, he was upon the ground, almost sobbing from intolerable distress.

_**Eiri's grin became even brighter. He looked like a poverty-stricken individual that had just won a casino game.**_

"_**Right! Score one heavy point for me!"**_

_**That'll teach him.**_

**_That fit of childish triumph was exactly the right ingredient to drive him even further. Eiri playfully twirled his blades, which were glimmering with the light of merriment._**

"Ha ha. Looks like I showed you, _pal. _Too bad you won't be able to _play _around anymore."

He planted merry kisses on his blades, very proud of the attack he had just delivered. His show of merriment didn't last long, though; Deus unleashed a new fit of anger, one that consumed the entire world beneath them. With a flash of intolerable apprehension, Eiri realized something; both of them were hovering above Earth...where all of his friends were, waiting for him..._and for Shuichi. Something else became clear though, and it pleased him._

The key to immortality had given Deus amazing power.

_Luckily, the Gateway to Immortality refused to open for him._

That small fact increased his fire. The demon wasn't speaking of his inability to access immortality, but then again, why would an enemy expose his weakness, especially since he had planned on using that weakness for his greatest strength? The demon wasn't able to become omnipotent; if he had been able to do so, the entire world would have been deleted in seconds, and the prince's journey would have been brought to a tragic end. Thank goodness the gods still had _some _strength left, even after their haven had been tampered with.

Five seconds elapsed between them. The two of the became dangerously close to each other; Eiri was only a few centimeters away from Deus, and Deus was only a few centimeters away from _him. _Blades clashed against blades in perilous restraints, threatening to decapitate their targets in seconds, but fatal attacks were avoided. However, many assaults created even more gashes within their bodies, ones that sapped immense strength from both of them. The demon allowed his injuries to affect him; his opponent, on the other hand, _didn't. _The prince seemed to be enjoying the massive rushes of adrenaline, even though his body was heaving from fatal exhaustion.

"You're doing very well, for a mortal."

"Thanks." Eiri said happily, happily twirling one of his fiery blades. "I can't cut you anymore slack. Someone's watching me."

Right then and there, a flash of childlike embarrassment erupted within his heart. If he hadn't been in front of Deus, he would have allowed himself to blush. One question went through his mind, and it caused his heart to capture the embarrassment that would have displayed itself on his face.

_You ARE watching me...aren't you?

* * *

_

_Who would have thought...that the two of us would come so far?_

_But then again, I didn't expect an angel to fall in love with a mortal._

_I guess fairy tales aren't that silly, now that I think about them.

* * *

_

Ten minutes scorched through the waves of non-existent time. The heavens held an undying vigil over the two of them, as they battled for their own aspirations above their known world. Blades struck flesh, which increased the drive for victory within both hearts. Only one combatant allowed himself to cry out in pain, though, and that was none other than Deus. Whenever the angel's prince received a blow, the only reaction he gave to the demon was a flash of fiery determination. His body wouldn't be able to take much more damage, but his heart could endure the fury of a millennia.

He thought.

He thought of everything he had witnessed, everything that he had believed in, everything he had heard and absorbed...

_**...everything he loved, everything he cherished...**_

The demon's words had been true. He knew he was nothing more than a horrendous waste of air, something that deserved to be squashed underneath someone's foot. He wasn't perfect, wasn't flawless or even _beautiful, _unlike the angel he loved deeply. But the angel loved him, and it wasn't because of **_pity._** Shuichi Shindou...the vocalist of Bad Luck, the High Angel of Anuryn's Heavens...it didn't matter. The gentle soul loved him, accepted him and cherished him...as much as **_he _**loved **_him. _**

They had sought each other for an eternity.

Now it was time to **_reunite._**

Several yards in front of him, the High Lord of Perpetuity was before him, glowing with immoderate evil. Both of them were perilously close to falling; that was evident. Neither of their bodies could take too much more, even though their spirits were ready for everything. One thing was definitely clear; the duel was either going to end in a draw, or with the prince as the victor.

Eiri had been willing to sacrifice his life before. He had been willing to give everything up, in order to ensure the safe return of his Shu-chan. Now, things were different. He no longer wanted to throw **_anything _**away; if he did...

...his heart couldn't expose itself...to his beautiful angel.

He lowered his head once again, his eyes planted on his blades. He gazed upon them for a moment, waiting for some kind of answer to his silent question...and then they glimmered with a tiny beam of light, which was their way of nodding. With a bright smile, he gripped both of them and returned his eyes to Deus, who had transformed himself the true father of evil. He had twisted the key's power in order to access his current form. He was no longer a being that resembled an elegant gentlemen; he was a true demon, one that possessed a bulky body, fiery red eyes and enormous wolf-like claws. He had become the direct opposite of Shuichi; **_pure evil._**

Eiri Uesugi stood in his place, waiting for his opponent's next move with the anticipation of a brave soldier, one that was about to have his life cut short at the end of a firing squad. His eyes zoned in on his enemy, ripe with the vigilance of a belligerent falcon and filled with the fiery courage of a cheetah. His eyes silently invited Deus to make a move, and the demon gladly took the invitation...

_**...which led right to a TRAP.**_

Eiri placed his blades over his heart.

"This one's for _us."_

The Dark Sovereign of Evil rushed out at him, piercing the endless skies with a turbulent roar of vengeance. The novelist held his ground and waited until the very last second, which was when the demon was no more than an inch away from him. With a firm grasp upon his weapons, he made an elegant leap into the air, which carried him several stories above his enemy. During his flight, which was accompanied by a flash of angelic pink light, he performed a back flip...which gave him the chance to bring himself down on his enemy. An immortal, high-pitched roar threatened to deafen him as he brought his blades into his enemy's pulsating body...and shredded his hated enemy into three halves.

Two events happened at once.

The stream of time brought itself to a halt.

An incalculable beam of yellow light blinded the prince and sent him hurdling through the eternal chasm known as 'Perpetuity'.

In mere seconds, though, the beam of light vanished...and left the prince in waves of blue radiance. Translucent blue waves carried him through frozen time, bestowing familiar warmth upon his weary heart. Even though he had been placed into slumber, his heart knew the waves well. He had seen them before, and trusted his soul to them. For an eternity he was slept within the swift tide of time, feeling each wave of cool water caress his weary body. His blades were no longer at his side; they too had fallen asleep, wanting to take a good rest after their last ordeal.

Before he struck the surface of a new world, a gentle voice echoed throughout his heart.

"_Now I'll finally be able to see you again."

* * *

_

It was an eternal world, one that was as spacious as Perpetuity. However, it didn't carry that world's darkness. It was unbearably cold and ugly, filled with the immortal death of a million souls. It was something grand and beautiful, radiant with empyrean fields and beauteous starlight. It was a world that could have only been formed in a child's heart...but at the same time...it was a world that had been formed in the hands of an angel. Eiri Uesugi found himself standing upon its surface, unaffected by his travels through the time stream...and also unaffected by his battle with the Demon Sovereign. His body was no longer prepared for battle; his blades had returned to slumber, ready to meet a new owner. Their departure left him with a pang of sadness, for he had become deeply fond of his 'little friends'. Now he understood why K was so close to 'Ebony and Ivory', _his _'beloved friends'.

Within his last duel, his body had suffered massive wounds. He feared that if he had gone on any longer, he would have lost his life under the intolerable pressure. Thankfully, the stream of time had healed his burdensome wounds, and left him only with his new uniform. It had also left him within a field of clouds, ones that were overlooking an immortal field of golden stars. The clouds weren't as important as the being standing in front of him, though.

"Well done, my child. I see you've managed to overcome that _enormous _struggle."

A gasp of disbelief tore itself from Eiri's lips. The dignified manner of speech brought the being's identity to vibrant light; **_he was the one he had encountered within the dream pool. _**As soon as the being turned to face the prince, everything became all too clear. He was truly a sovereign, one that possessed a magnificent robe of burgundy and a head of golden brown hair. His pristine, soft eyes were a heavenly shade of blue, a shade that easily shamed every man-made object in existence. His voice was the way it had been during the dream pool journey; warm, melodious and graceful.

"I see that you remember me, dear Eiri." he said in a way that brought tears to Eiri's eyes. The sovereign reminded the prince of his departed father. "Come. Take a place by my side. My heart wishes to share a few things."

With sweet, puppy-like apprehension, the prince shyly made his way to the sovereign's side. As soon as he did, a gentle arm was placed about his shoulders. The being was the personification of warmth; it was as if he had been born as the creator of serenity. "Before you begin," the prince said softly, his timid eyes scanning the environment. Without even noticing it, he had taken on Shuichi's cuteness.

"Where _are _we?"

"Why, my child, we're in 'Ellea'. In other words, we're in the womb of time. The very origin of life, the beginning of eternity. Here is where every heart embarks on its journey, filled with the dreams of eternity. I do believe that a certain _singer _began his journey here."

The mere mention of the angel brought waterfalls of Eiri's eyes, and he had no desire to restrain them. He had finally eliminated Deus, the one that had ignited their separation, but the angel was **_still _**nowhere in sight. He realized that he had been away from Shuichi for **_far too long..._**

"What do you mean?" he asked, noticing that his voice was hoarse. The softhearted sovereign chuckled warmly at him, which brought even more tears to his eyes. He was truly someone that could earn the loyalty of **_any _**human in mere seconds, just by smiling at them. "What I meant was..." he began gently, brushing some of Eiri's tears away. "your Shuichi was **_born_** here, among these very clouds."

_**Those words smacked him like BRICKS.**_

"Yes, it's true. The one named 'Shuichi Shindou' was born _here, _among us angels."

Eiri took the angel's hand and squeezed it, barely able to comprehend human speech. "But..." he began, shock pouring from his fragile tears. "...then...why..."

Right then and there, **_everything _**overwhelmed him.

The distance, the emotions that had been born within the duel, the last night of passion, the dreams...

_**Everything united within his heart...and caused him to fall to his knees.

* * *

**_

_**-Sorry! I was supposed to finish this, but someone's knocking on the door (and he goes by the name of Dinner)! Me sowwees! Waaah! I'll be back soon...to post the chapter you've ALL been waiting for! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE CONCLUSION BETWEEN DEUS AND EIRI, NYAH HA!**_

Fun fact; the new angel was inspired by 'Ansem the Wise', who was elegantly voiced by the great Christopher Lee (who plays the part of Magneto in X3, for those of you that aren't familiar with King Mickey's pal). He has a lot to reveal...and two special people are going to make their return in the next installment...

NYAH HA!


	26. Healing

_WELCOME TO 'HEALING', THE CHAPTER YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! I'm happy to announce that we've FINALLY reached the point that will either 'make' or 'break' this here project of mine! I'M SO EXCITED, I CAN HARDLY KEEP MYSELF POSTED TO MY CHAIR! MWEE HEE HEE!_

Before we begin, I'd like to apologize for a critical error I made. At the end of the previous chapter, I stated that the newcomer's inspiration was Christopher Lee. I also said that the actor was responsible for the part of Magneto within the newest X-Men blockbuster. I would like to correct that error; Magneto was played by Sir Ian McKellan, **_not _**Christopher Lee. Mr. Lee was responsible for the role of _Saruman, _Gandalf's counterpart in the 'Rings' trilogy. Sorry for the mixup! Nyah.

I would love to dedicate this entire chapter to all of my dear readers, including the ones that followed 'Kakumei' and 'Lunar Reflection'. I'd like to give a special dedication to Koneko Asami, who is **_always _**the first to make my day with a review. I would especially like to dedicate this chapter to the invaluable Bloody May, who was succeeded in two things; making me angry with her plots (just read 'True Feelings', and becoming a very dear part of my life. Without her, this would have turned into an enormous **_flop._** To have a friend like her is to have something that surpasses any boundary of human life. I would also like to extend a warm 'thank you' to Dejichan, who motivated me during 'Kakumei' (which I thought would turn out to be another flop). Thanks to the two of them, I've realized how important a review is, and how important a heart is. Which is why I'm working my TAIL off on 'Forever', my next project! It's going to be the most beautiful 'Gravitation' wedding of all, AND YOU'RE ALL INVITED! Hee hee, I jump for joy whenever I see/read/hear something about weddings...it's like I'm planning my own wedding!

_**NOW ON WITH THE SHOW! PLEASE ENJOY 'HEALING'!

* * *

**_

_Theme of 'Healing': 'Sanctuary' and 'Dearly Beloved' of Kingdom Hearts 2 OST. 'From Western Woods to Beaversdam' from the Chronicles of Narnia OST.

* * *

_

He had only succumbed to tears at one point in his life, and he thought he would never drown under them again. Within a second, however, that assumption was eliminated under the drop of reality. He had fallen to his knees, immersed in a world of overwhelming emotion. Sobs were tearing themselves from his body mercilessly, and his entire being pulsated with an indescribable blend of emotions. Sorrow, pain, anguish and longing united as one and tormented him, whipping at his heart with the unshakable power of thunder. Sobs, which were blanketed in hoarse hiccups, drew themselves from his body as tears poured forth, unchecked and pristine.

The angel before him held his hand, squeezing it with the affection of a benevolent parent. With the fatherly eyes of an ancient sage, the angel looked upon the weeping heart with the warmest smile, his eyes emitting profound love and hope. He allowed the young warrior to unleash his emotions, unwilling to interrupt the release of pressure. His ordeal had surely created a lot of stress upon his heart, and every bit needed to be released as soon as possible. Holding back any type of emotion wasn't healthy for the human soul.

Five minutes elapsed before the sobbing began to die down. Eiri Uesugi slowly wrapped his arms around the angel's waist, feeling as if he had reverted back to the years of an infant. During the course of his father's life, he had failed to show his parent **_any _**type of affection; now this angel was before him, emitting the warmth of a thousand fathers. He was an individual that could earn the eternal love of a child within seconds, for his smile was capable of warming the coldest soul.

The angel ruffled his hair playfully, detecting a few 'sniffs'. He allowed the tired novelist to have one more moment of silence, then he continued to speak. His voice, although elegant and firm with the magic of a sophisticated gentleman, was beautifully soft. "End your tears, child." he said comfortingly, bearing a smile that equaled the beauty of a silver moon. The skies above him, although black, glimmered with an ethereal perpetuity. Golden stars soared through them, each of them bearing an unbreakable smile about their souls.

"Do not cry any longer. I do believe that you'll find your angel soon."

Embarrassment struck the weary novelist, for he had only endured an emotional breakdown in front of one individual, and had not planned on enduring another. He took a moment to wipe mist from his eyes, then placed his full attention on the angel. It took him a moment to realize something, but as soon as that 'something' became clear, shock caused a gasp to withdraw itself.

_**The angel had violet purple eyes.**_

The munificent entity of light laughed, ruffling the tired soul's hair. "It's true." he said happily. "You'll find him at the end of eternity...waiting. Now, I believe you had something to ask me. What was your inquiry?"

Eiri's shy, puppy-like eyes entered the vigilant, fatherly eyes of the angel. Without even realizing it, he had taken on the qualities of his angel; he had become a little puppy in the face of an immense tide. If he had been a canine, he would have tilted his head and flattened his ears, as a way to emit uncertainty. He looked as if he were afraid to approach an enemy for a moment, trapped between apprehension and longing. After an awkward moment of silence, he placed a hand over his heart, took a deep breath and released his question.

"I'm sorry, but..."

He shuffled his fingers for a moment, looking a student that had been placed under a spotlight. "...was Shuichi really born here? And..." he began, noticing that his voice was intensely fragile. "...why...did he choose _me _to be his..."

"I will start by answering your first question." the angel said, bearing the demeanor of an assiduous teacher. "Yes, the one named 'Shuichi Shindou' _was _born within this very realm, here among the angels and clouds. He came into this world as a young soul, one that quickly became _bored _with the 'tedious' structure of our realm. However, he wasn't the 'hyper-active', 'bubbly' soul you're so familiar with. The one you saw within the dream pool...was the one that dwelled among our realm."

A bolt of lightning struck Eiri as his mind soared back to ethereal images, the images of Shuichi he had been presented with. Visions of the beauteous being scorched the surface of his mind rapidly, leaving behind tread marks of unsounded desires. The angel chuckled at him once again, exuding the warmth of daylight.

"He spent so many hours gazing out at the heavens, hoping to catch a glimpse of a certain star. The heavens were always filled with song, piercing melodies that were _radiant _with the hope of an unborn eternity. You see, our skies are filled with stars, which are the embodiments of human souls. Every soul begins its journey through life here, immersed in hopes, dreams and wishes. Our dear angel **_found _**your star, my child, and as you would say in your world...well...it was 'love at first sight'."

Another gasp tore itself from the novelist's lips, and his heart skipped several beats. He kept a hand over his heart for a moment, allowing a recovery period for his shocked mechanism, then he took a small breath and braced himself for another question. "You mean to tell me...that he found me...**_way_** before I was even **_born?"_**

"Yes." the angel replied, with even more gentle laughter. "He found you 'way' before your _world _was even born. In the beginning of time."

_In the beginning of time..._

A bag of bricks struck him in an instant, which caused him to become inexplicably dizzy. Shock filled his eyes as he digested the angel's words, no longer able to comprehend _anything _that had to do with humanity. Disbelief consumed every one of his veins, pouring a frosty liquid through his bloodstream. After a moment of digestion, a life-long question popped through the clouds of disbelief, held itself within the novelist's chest, then slowly removed itself through heavy sheets of tears. Like a timid child that had been asked to perform in front of a president, Eiri Uesugi continued to voice his heart's thoughts.

"Why? _Why _did he choose _me?"_

Tears threatened to overwhelm him with the delivery of that question. He removed rivers from his eyes, which increased the downpour of emotion from his heart. The birth of more tears hindered his ability to produce speech, but some remnant of human strength gave him the capability to continue. "Out of every mortal on Earth, why did it have to be me? I...don't have the..."

"Eiri, I know very well what Deus told you, and I know what you believe in." The angel's voice had become firm, like the voice of a stern parent. "That _demon _told you that you were _nothing _more than a 'waste of air'. _You _believe that you are nothing more than 'waste of air'. A disgusting, putrid insect that has no right to walk upon soil, let alone breathe air. Unfortunately, both of your descriptions were _far _from the mark. Although, you _did _have the darkest soul among our skies." Seeing the look on Eiri's face, he gently poked the novelist in the nose with a laugh. "Shuichi saw every _bit _of your dark soul, my child. And you know what? He came to me one day...with the brightest smile on his face...and he told me that it was the most **_beautiful_** star he had **_ever_** seen."

The angel's tone and facial expression brought even more tears to Eiri's eyes. He looked as if he had just discovered the heavens for the very first time, and was unable to describe anything accurately. The novelist felt his heart stop within the frozen stream of time, for it was overwhelmed with intolerable disbelief. Like a scientist that had just found a living dinosaur, he felt as if his entire lifestyle had taken a turn into the land of the surreal.

He knew how he felt whenever he was around Shuichi. Nothing _ever _felt real; he always felt as if he had been lifted beyond the clouds whenever he saw the angel's smile. Simple kisses and embraces had been drugs to him, aphrodisiacs that had lifted him far beyond the stars. Within those dreams, however, he had been able to keep his feet on the ground. Both of them spent their days wandering through Tokyo, blissfully immersed in real kisses, embraces, and smiles. At the moment, though, he felt as if his entire soul had been tossed into a vortex. Not even his own limbs felt real, and breathing was an inexplicably foreign exercise.

_He told me that it was the most beautiful star he had ever seen._

Shuichi had seen the most beautiful miracle..._in Eiri._

Words popped up to his mind's surface once again, but they failed to emit themselves. Tears brought the novelist's hands to his face, each of them radiant with fervent love. His heart pounded against its cell, ready to take a lunge into newborn reality. His soul cried and cried for the smile of his angel, who seemed so far away. The one standing before him continued to bestow the truth upon him, smiling with immortal magnificence. "In no time at all, our dear angel made his descent from our skies...with that same bright smile. He entered your world as a human, and was blessed with the name 'Shuichi'. He began a new life _without _memories of his first journey, but something _special _kept itself in his heart...and that was _your light. _He never forgot you, even for a moment."

_Never..._

_You were always waiting for me..._

_You always believed in me...always..._

The angel's heart was moved by Eiri Uesugi's facial expression. The prince looked as if he had just entered the concept of existence for the very first time, and had no idea how to operate himself. Every function was anomalous to him, which caused him to feel as if he had been transformed into an alien. His mind had lost the ability to produce any train of thought, his heart had lost the ability to produce its silent rhythm, and his chest was no longer able to detect the intake of oxygen.

_Everything was...so beautiful..._

He had been turned into a baby, one that had just entered the world through his mother's arms. The world was a new utopia to him, filled with endless possibilities and new dreams. The world had gone through resurgence and filled itself with new beings, new chances at immortality. The sun, the moon, the stars...everything had been put through rebirth, and it was functioning for the very first time.

_Always...you were always...waiting for me..._

He knew that Shuichi didn't fall in love with him _out of pity. _He knew that the angel didn't see him as an ugly, pathetic insect, one that deserved to be crushed underneath dark tides. Shuichi had fallen in love with him...simply because...

_**...they were meant for each other.**_

_**They had been meant for each other...**_

_**...since birth.**_

The angel turned his eyes to the skies, his heart focused on the stunned prince. He placed his hands behind his back, which gave him the look of a duteous librarian, but there was a smile on his gentle features...a tender, eternally affectionate smile. "I am happy to report that everything has been returned to 'normal', dear one." he said happily, speaking in the manner of a proud parent. "Your world has been healed, dear one. Everything is experiencing 'resurgence', entering the realm of time...for the very first time. All of your friends have been healed as well...and I _do _believe that you'll find not one, but _two _stars you lost."

Eiri's eyes were glued to the ground. To a passer-by, they would have been silent and unemotional canvases. However, closer inspection would have revealed much deeper elements, ones that were far too beautiful to be captured within any description. He placed a hand upon the silent prince's shoulder, chuckling with the warmth of a proud father. His eyes twinkled as he spoke, capturing the core of a pure silver moon.

"Go, my child. It's time for your heart...to reunite with its mate. The one that was promised to you...before the dawn of time."

Eiri looked into his face, bearing the innocent emotions of a stunned child. He looked anxious, like a child that was unable to stand on his own. He possessed the desire to re-enter reality, but wasn't sure if he could be able to walk upon the world that had been created. "He's waiting for you, Eiri." the angel repeated, ruffling his hair once again. "Go to him. It's time."

The prince's eyes shot out to the skies, filled with the iridescent innocence of a tense child. As soon as his heart fell into the horizon, an ethereal beam of light bloomed throughout skies and created an immaculate sea of starlight, which was radiant with a thousand stars. Each star resembled a human life, a soul that was about to walk among existence...or a soul that had already ignited their journey through destiny. Like a father, the angel placed a hand about his shoulders, which earned him a puppyish look from the prince.

"The two of you were _always _meant to be together, Eiri Uesugi. Even in the birth of time, you two were _always _bound together. It's time for you to reclaim your place, dear one, at your angel's side."

_All it takes...is one...simple...leap._

_In order to return to your newborn reality, all you have to do...is jump._

_Jump, Eiri._

Another beam of light blossomed throughout the heavens, filling the eternal realm with luminous light. The stars of the heavens glimmered with newborn expectations as they returned the prince to time's ever flowing stream. The angel he had befriended kept a strong vigil over him, watching the soul's return to reality. The love within his warm, fatherly smile strengthened...as the light grew within the heavens.

"Thank you, dear Eiri...for making my son's dreams...come true."

* * *

_Eternity has no limits between us._

_You and I...we've always been together._

_Everything we shared, everything we dreamt of..._

_...it was all formed within the womb of time._

_My heart burns for you, now and forever..._

_...Shuichi.

* * *

_

"_Bro...bro-oooo..."_

Silence drew itself through newborn time for a moment, then it brought about the production of more speech.

"_Bro...wake up, brooo..."_

More silence withdrew itself, which gave birth to impatience. A soft pair of lips fell onto another pair, which belonged to a silent individual. As soon as those lips fell upon the silent individual, two things occurred simultaneously; a small cry of shock erupted throughout the air, the intruder received a strong _slap _from his victim, and the victim's eyes flew open. The 'wounded' intruder looked upon his 'victim', his playful eyes filled with sadness. He bore the expression of a wounded mother, one that had been offended by a beloved child.

"That really hurt, you know. That's the 'thanks' I get for _waking you up?"_

Eiri Uesugi reeled back in shock, looking upon a very familiar face. Anurynian silk blankets became tangled in his reaction to the playful voice, which made him realize something; he was back within a bedroom of the palace, far from the angel he had come to love as a father. The one that had taken the responsibility of 'waking him' was rubbing his injury, which was sure to create a small bruise. Pristine shock filled the prince's eyes as he struggled to regain the power of speech, and then it poured forth from his mouth. However, his speech was still shaky and hoarse.

"_**Tatsuha! What are you doing here? I thought you..I-I th-thought..."**_

"Well, baby bro of mine," Tatsuha Uesugi, the valiant young priest, beamed at his stunned sibling through a thin sheet of pain. His playful eyes, which were no longer filled with immeasurable hatred, smiled with newborn beauty. "I always knew cats had nine lives, but I never thought _I _had nine lives. On my second one, baby, and still lookin' good!"

Love blossomed between the two of them...for the very first time. Both Uesugis looked at each other as if they had been separated from each other for **_years_**, and their hearts had sought each other for the last ten years. For an eternity, silence held both of them in a trance; Eiri couldn't stop his heart from screaming with shock, Tatsuha couldn't stop smiling. The young priest continued to speak to his brother, his normally comical voice radiant with empyrean affection.

"I'm glad you're all right, bro."

Waterfalls overwhelmed the prince's eyes, but as soon as they embarked on their descent, the dauntless priest placed him within a warm embrace. The two of them held each other for another eternity, softly shedding tears of love and happiness. Lost in the peaceful silence of the royal dormitory, both brothers held each other for what felt like the very first time...coming together as true kin. Tatsuha held his brother out at arm's length, his warm face emitting waterfalls of love.

"I see you need an explanation. It's simple. You took out Deus. Everything was healed, including little ol' me. I didn't want to leave yet, and so my pal, the silver phoenix spirit, brought me back as soon as everything came to an end. Sounds weird? Well, weirder things have happened."

"And...every one else...?"

Tatsuha frowned for a second, then his warm smile returned. "Yeah, they're fine. Oh, and speaking of 'every one else'..."

Right then and there, his smile became infinitely warm. It took on the mischief of a warm child, one that was about to present their brother with the greatest surprise of all time.

"...there's a certain _someone _waiting for you. You know, you've been asleep for quite a long time. He's been pretty patient, bro. You're lucky."

-Ahem. Once again, 'life' has decided to knock upon my doorstep. I had planned on completing this right now, but I'm afraid 'Life' is knocking LOUDLY AND IT'S TICKING ME OFF! Urrghh! I'll be sure to finish the long-awaited conclusion soon! So please stay tuned!


	27. Soul Awakening

Welcome to 'Soul Awakening', the finale you've all been dying to see. Once again, I'd like to apologize for the interruption that occurred in the midst of the previous chapter. Here are now, at the conclusion you've been waiting for! Watch as our epic tale of love concludes, under a newborn sky of sunlight.

I would like to dedicate not just this finale, but this entire project to all of my readers. Every single one of you have become dear friends to me, for you supported something I worked so hard on. This project became an immense piece of my life, and I'm glad I was able to share it with all of you. To all of you that followed this entire adventure; you know who you are. Thank you for sticking with me! My heart hopes to see you in my next project, 'Forever'! Yes, the very one I've been bashing my brains out over! I am happy to announce that I am thinking of becoming a wedding planner; planning the greatest 'Gravitation' wedding is a blast, and I'm not really finished with the plans yet! I am also happy to announce that I witnessed the ending of 'Kingdom Hearts 2'! Yes, all good things MUST come to an end. I hope that all of you listen to really sappy music for this one; I'm going to make this **_great!_**

Last but not least, I'd like to extend an embrace to my very dear friend. This story, because of her, became something magical. Something that rose far and above my expectations. This one's for you, sis. AND MAYBE IT'LL GET YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING, MWEE HEE!

* * *

**_Theme of 'Soul Awakening': 'Sanctuary (End Version)' and 'Dearly Beloved' of Kingdom Hearts 2 OST. Please note that Shuichi's outfit was inspired by Kairi's attire.

* * *

_**

Eiri stared at Tatsuha as if his brother had just spoken to him in a foreign language. For a moment, the novelist looked like a child that had been presented with a chance to inherit Santa's workshop; his eyes wandered through bottomless disbelief, closely followed by his pulsating heart. The silk blankets quickly became mere sources of restraint, playful bars that prevented one from reaching reality. Silence drifted throughout the room swiftly, presenting the novelist with a chance at recovery, but he struggled to regain any sense for what seemed like an eternity.

The young priest, who had bravely sacrificed his life for him, squeezed his shoulders with the ample affection of a good-natured coach. His heart had returned to its normal demeanor, and his eyes had regained their normal magic. They were no longer filled with endless hatred; they had returned to their warm, comical selves. However, there was something different about them, something blissful and incredible. His voice had inherited the same wondrous qualities. "It's true, pal." the priest said softly, amused by the shock upon his brother's face. "He's right outside."

Eiri's voice had fallen out of its usual attributes. It was unstable, shivering like a wave that had been created within the depths of an ocean. Emotion had brought upon hoarseness, which gave his voice a childlike frailty. It was an astounding treasure, one that carried unending splendor and virtuousness about it...for it was the voice of a child that had just been delivered into the new world. "So that means," he began, alarmed by the sound of his own speech. "everything's...fine? Deus is..."

Tatsuha took on the facial expression of an irritated parent. The young one placed his hands on his hips and sighed, sounding as if someone had just failed to complete a vital business deal. "He's _gone, _bro." he said amidst a gentle sheet of laughter. There was the look of an irritated father about him, but his voice was another story. It was still incredibly warm, the type of voice that could end the darkest rainstorm because of its warmth. "Everything's _fine. _Lady Niha, K, Reiji, Ryu, Hiroshi and Suguru are all peachy keen. Someone else is perfectly fine too, you know."

Within a flash, the priest tossed off the aura of playful anger and replaced it with childlike mischief. He tossed an arm about his brother's shoulders, beaming like a cat that had just succeeded in his latest mission. "There's something you should know, baby bro." he said quietly, speaking as if he had an enormous secret to pass on. "Pardon my language, but he got one **_hell _**of a makeover. He's **_got _**to be the **_hottest_** thing on two legs now."

Instant rushes of happiness were exhilarating, but many individuals were incapable of operating within them. Some human beings danced about their domains in the midst of newborn rapture; others simply lost all basic functions, including the capability to breathe. Eiri Uesugi took on the qualities of a frozen infant; his eyes froze themselves within time, his heart came to a temporary halt, and his face brightened with immoderate apprehension, giving him the look of an archaeologist that was about to rediscover a living, breathing civilization. There was no end to the waves of newly discovered rapture, however. The novelist wouldn't be receiving a break anytime soon. That became apparent as soon as a gentle _knock _fell into their ears...closely accompanied by an equally gentle voice.

"Can I come in?"

An outsider would have assumed that Eiri was hiding from a psychotic killer. The look on his face, to them, would have been a dead giveaway. Nevertheless, their assumptions would have been far from the truth. Profound shock was abundant upon his face, but it wasn't tainted by fear. He had the look of a nervous groom about him, one that was about to face his soul mate for the very first time. Tatsuha was in the best man's role, carrying the responsibility of calming his sibling. Unfortunately for Eiri, the young priest enjoyed the novelist's adorable tension and removed himself from his brother's bed. Like a cat that was about to unleash its friends upon an unsuspecting mouse, he placed a grin upon his gentle features and turned to the door. Perpetual happiness fell onto the Uesugi's face as he called out to the speaker, bearing inestimable ardor within his harmonious voice.

"Sure you can, Shuichi! The door's wide open! Feel free to stick your head in!"

Many believed that miracles only occurred within the span of a lifetime. Others retaliated with another belief; they simply believed that miracles could occur within a shorter time span, but the period was still excruciatingly long. Human beings rarely experienced the birth of miraculous, unexplored emotions in mere seconds, and whenever they did, they were unable to describe the situation in any way or form. Eiri Uesugi's world came to a complete stop in _seconds, _leaving him with the blank mentality of a newborn child. The ability to speak, the ability to think, the ability to _breathe..._all of those became forgotten, discarded concepts in mere seconds...for the world erupted in vibrant, surreal beauty before his very eyes.

The world's greatest miracle...the epitome of love...

...stepped right into the bedroom.

* * *

_It was a phenomenon, one unlike anything he had ever experienced before. The angel entered the bedroom, accompanied by a golden shaft of light. The shaft of light had been created from soft sunlight, which was bounding across the outside world's shores. It was drenching every inch of reality with realistic tenderness, but it blanketed the angel with an ethereal, unbelievable aura of splendor. It presented his violet eyes with eternal warmth, which gave them an iridescent sheen. There was a smile on his face, one that would have easily been applied to a timid child, and it brought even more grandeur to the angel's persona. He was no longer the small, bouncy soul he had come to know so well...but he still carried that spark of unyielding magic, the fervor of an immortal child. He had turned into a young adult, one with radiant, long pink hair and a curvaceous physique._

_Silence drifted between two hearts for eternity, even though time had frozen itself...just for the two of them. Their eyes absorbed each other, each bearing their own emotions; the prince's eyes were wide with childlike shock, bearing the unexplored innocence of an infant's desires. The angel's eyes were filled with happiness, which was at an inexplicable, immeasurable degree. He was a songbird that had just been liberated from its prison, and was ready to spread his wings. However, he wasn't going to leave the ground without his mate._

_The young priest held a vigil over the frozen entities, bearing the affection of a parent about his eyes. After several minutes, however, he decided to take his leave, unwilling to hinder the events that were about to occur. Bearing a blend of childlike mischief and fatherly love, Tatsuha Uesugi removed himself from the bedroom, drenched in the angel's wave of sunlight. His departure had left the two of them alone in true silence, one that wasn't restricted by the burdensome prohibition of time. For an eternity they wandered through each other's eyes, trying their hardest to regain the power of speech, and then one of them shattered the silence after several long minutes. The angel had taken it upon himself to speak, even though his heart was vibrantly overwhelmed with undeniable passion._

"_Hi."_

_In a flash, the prince threw himself from the bed, his eyes glued to the one before him. Unwittingly assuming the demeanor of a bewildered wolf, he gazed upon the angel with wide eyes, unable to believe in the songbird's presence. Silence returned to the bedroom as the prince studied him, looking as if he had been struck senseless by a barricade of lightning. The angel observed him, bearing a playful yet immeasurably rapturous smile about his violet eyes._

_Minutes withdrew themselves. The wolf was still studying his mate, still unable to believe that he had just been reunited with him. It was evident that his heart needed proof, and the smaller one was ready to deliver in. Within a flash, the songbird blew into the prince's left ear...which brought upon an instant embrace. The prince wrapped his arms around the angel, never wanting to release the one his heart had missed so deeply. Within a blanket of silence, he kept the angel tucked under a newborn haven of tranquility...but the expiration of that silence brought upon an eruption of emotion._

_Still unable to believe that his deepest dreams had come to lifeEiri Uesugibegantoabsorb** everything **about his angel's presence. His hands began a journey through delicate, fragile acres, and his heart smelled every inch of the songbird's soft skin. Shuichi Shindou kept himself within his prince's arms, gently sobbing through waves of immortal happiness. Strong hands ran themselves through his hair as soft sobs withdrew themselves, radiant with both disbelief and ecstasy. Tears united as dewdrops under the ceiling of starlight...as both souls held each other, immersed in tides of their dreams._

_The bedroom was no longer a simple haven. It was a place of eternity, one that held the bottomless beauty of Elysium. It had regained the beauty it had assumed during their last night of passion...the night that had occurred before the eruption of darkness. It was silent, beauteous and boundless, a perfect ground for true contentment. The two lovers held each other within that bedroom, their hearts exploding with unbounded, unexplained sensation. Neither of them could describe their heart's journeys, for both souls were walking amongst newborn territory, places that had never before seen a single shaft of light._

_Three eternities passed by them, each of them bearing their own golden light. The prince, still running his hands through his angel's body, spoke to his beloved mate. His voice had become indescribably fragile, like a wing that was dangerously close to shattering. His eyes, which had been forced to keep themselves open through sleepless, meaningless nights, were now closed, locked by the unending waves of happiness. Tears were pouring from his eyes at a breakneck pace; one could have easily said that he was about to drown himself._

"_It's you...it's you it's you it's you it's you...it's you, Shuichi...I can't believe it...it's you..."_

_All of the pain...all of the sadness and frustration...the uncertainty and despondency..._

_...it had all lead up to this._

_A long, arduous journey seemed to last several millennia for many human beings. However, whenever the journey came to an end, they quickly claimed it had been no more than a few seconds. Eiri Uesugi felt as if his journey had just started, but at the same time, he felt as if he had spent eons searching for the one he held within his arms. Feeling like someone that had just discovered sunlight for the very first time, he continued to speak to the sobbing vocalist...his face beaming with...elements that couldn't be described._

"_It's you...damn it, I can't believe it's you...you're here...you're actually here..."_

_His heart stopped as soon as Shuichi looked into his eyes, smiling through endless sheets of immaculate joy. "It's because you found me." he said, sounding like a child that had just uncovered a rock for the very first time. The words were simple, but they held potent depth to **both **of them. "I knew you wouldn't give up on me. I knew I'd see you again. I waited and waited-"_

"_I know." the prince whispered, cradling the happy vocalist within his delicate arms. "I know. I know you waited. You waited a long time...a VERY long time for me..."_

_Without another word, the two hearts fell into a newborn world of unparalleled rapture. Their lips melted into each other, met by the tranquil beating of their reunited hearts...and their hands began journeys through familiar yet new, wondrous fields. Underneath the blissful heavens, the two of them slowly fell against the bedroom wall, drenched in honeyed kisses and caresses. Tears from both hearts united as one, soft breaths brushed tingling skin, and chests heaved against each other as their minds sailed through their ordeal, unable to believe that they had been reunited in mere seconds._

_Minutes elapsed, but time had no meaning. Eiri's hands coursed over Shuichi's heaving chest, bearing lives and souls of their own. Both developed a desire to eliminate the angel's clothing, but the prince brought his journey to a halt as soon as a thunderbolt struck him. In a flash, he brought himself from his songbird's body, breathing heavily through an abrupt eruption of horror. The angel looked upon his prince's face, deeply saddened by the interruption._

"_What's wrong?"_

"_I can't." was the instant response. It was if he had committed the worst crime in history. "I just can't."_

"_Why not?" Shuichi asked softly, his sweet voice bearing pristine confusion about it. Eiri shook his head fervently and turned away, covering his face with both hands. Tears poured from his eyes as his mind reeled over horrific thoughts, thoughts of the one that had tormented his angel for so long..._

"_I just can't. I'm sorry. I can't. Not after what he did to you."_

_Unable to bear the sight of his prince's sorrow, the vocalist wrapped his arms around his waist and delivered passionate kisses to the very core of his soul. His dulcet voice entered Eiri's ears, bearing the soft fragility of a baby's hand. "It's okay." he whispered, on the verge of tears once again. "It's okay. It's okay."_

_  
"Not it's not." he retaliated with equal fervor, still shaking his head. "No it isn't. It's not all right."_

"_Yes it is...please stop saying that...I missed you..."_

'_I missed you'..._

"_I can't...tell you how much I missed you...how much I needed you...it's all right..."_

_Shuichi covered his own face in his hands, overwhelmed by tremors of inestimable sadness. "Yuki..." he whispered, his body shivering from a deprivation of warmth. "it's okay. I want you to...please...please, Yuki...please...I need you..."_

_The prince returned his gaze to the sobbing angel, unable to bear the sight of **his **pain. The delicate soul continued to shed tears of endless rhapsody, no longer wanting to keep himself away from the one he had been locked away from for so long..._

"_I...I need you, Yuki. Please...please...don't keep yourself away from me. I'm okay, really...I'm just happy...to be back with you...with the one I love, the one I need...the one I love..."_

"_I'm sorry." Eiri said sadly, caressing his angel's cheek. "I can't honestly say that I love you anymore."_

_Those words brought forth a gasp of indescribable horror. The songbird's face became the personification of pain; his eyes widened in horror, which presented the angel's ethereal face with perpetual sorrow. He reeled away from his beloved prince, horrified by what his heart had just absorbed. Eiri brought him into a soft embrace, unwilling to allow his angel a venture into unending pain._

"_It's not what you think. I'd rather DIE than harm you. It's just...those words seem so SMALL now."_

_Emotion increased the speed of his speech. It overwhelmed his entire soul, consumed his heart and caused it to pour forth every drop of devotion he had within his entire being. "Nothing feels real anymore." he said softly, his voice becoming a hoarse zephyr. "Being here with you, seeing you...it all feels so unreal. Everything I felt before seems so SMALL now. I loved you, yes, but I didn't know what you were worth. I didn't see anything. Shuichi, I just didn't know..."_

"_Didn't know what?" was the soft, childlike question._

"_I just didn't know...you were so beautiful. I was just so ignorant, so damn ignorant...and I'm sorry...I just didn't know anything..."_

_Sobs threatened to eliminate the power of speech, but before it could make its complete exit, the prince was determined to speak his heart's thoughts. "They just seem so small now, those words." he repeated. "Not a single word can describe how I truly feel. I know I'm supposed to be a writer, but it's true. My soul's screaming, my heart's pounding...I feel as if I'm breathing for the very first time, and it's all because of you...all because of you...I can't tie these feelings down to three little words..."_

_For years, the two of them had dwelled among separate worlds._

_For years, the two of them had walked their own paths, dreaming._

_Now, underneath the same sky, they were together...immersed in a new world of never-ending rapture._


	28. Epilogue

Dear friends, welcome to the epilogue.

Unfortunately, it is time for this epic tale to rest. Our heroes pushed themselves to the limits (especially our Eiri), and they've finally met with new skies of sunlight. The world has been healed of all pain, there isn't a single trace of Deus, and our beloved couple has been reunited under a torrent of passion. After a long, hard climb up the mountain called 'self-discovery', this tale has finally arrived at its finish line.

I wasn't about to leave all of you with the last chapter! I didn't tie up every loose line! I shall do so now, in this wondrous epilogue! The very last update for 'An Angel's Dream'! This project became an immensely dear part of my life, especially during the Great Meltdown of April (when my computer decided to go on the frizz). It was pulled through the wringer at least a thousand times; I pondered over conversations, battle scenes, transformations and even Eiri's reunion with Shuichi. This process taught me how to put my blood, sweat and tears into something, for I gave this project everything I had. The great geniuses of Square Enix gave me an inspirational masterpiece (ahem, Kingdom Hearts 2), but without the help of a very dear friend, this entire project would have turned out differently (badly, in my perception).

Originally, this project was known as 'An Angel's Heart'. Its original source of inspiration was 'The Mummy Returns', which seems so **_small_** compared to Kingdom Hearts 2. Deus was originally supposed to Lady Niha's brother, and he was supposed to have a broken relationship with Eiri's tutor (who, originally, wasn't Niha). Our prince's tutor was supposed to be a black ranger, who held a position as Priest within Anuryn's walls. Deus seduced the priest (who never received a name), which forced to priest to resign. Deus was only after him for information; he wanted to learn the secrets behind Anuryn's power, which were hidden in Shuichi. The black ranger, of course, withdrew from the palace and lived in seclusion. He waited for the 'chosen one' to show himself...lost in the tides of a desert. Eiri and the members of Bad Luck were supposed to go on this 'wondrous' archaeological treasure hunt...great, I'm sitting here laughing at my own summary...

This story turned out to be something amazing...thanks to my dear sis.

For the last time, I'd like to extend my deepest appreciation to all of my reviewers. I know I must have said this a thousand times, but this project wouldn't have made it without any of you either. 'Gravitation' means a lot to me, and so whenever I receive support from such good friends, it really makes me smile. Thank you all for enjoying my work!

_I've been a Gravitation Junkie since December '05, and still going strong baby! And I haven't been flamed ONCE! A CLEAN RECORD! LET'S KEEP IT UP!_

_Theme of 'Epilogue': 'Sanctuary (After the Battle)' of Kingdom Hearts 2 OST. _

**_Theme of 'An Angel's Dream': 'Sanctuary (After the Battle)' of Kingdom Hearts 2 OST._**

_The end of Eiri Uesugi's confession brought about another fervent, sweet embrace. The prince, after his hard, long journey, made a descent into a world of golden passion; he and his angel drenched each other in heavy kisses, honeyed caresses and immortal whispers. Lost among newborn happiness, they gave themselves to their heart's desires, filled with enthusiastic hope for the future. Tears streamed from their eyes as they absorbed every inch of golden warmth, their hearts drummed against each other amongst newborn tides of time, and their arms wrapped themselves around profound ecstasy. There were no restraints, no prohibition from the forces of time; they soared throughout eternity together, the way they were meant to do so from the very beginning. The angel, who had been tormented by the Demon Sovereign for so long, happily gave his entire being to the prince without the slightest hesitation...and his mate took every one of his offerings in tears._

_Their euphoric journey was only a few minutes long, regrettably. An abrupt eruption of chaos occurred, which brought about an explosion of embarrassment upon their faces. Ryuichi Sakuma and their other companions, had kept themselves hidden behind the bedroom door, acting as if they were children spying on their parents during Christmas shopping. The Sakuma's playful antics had forced the door to eliminate their privacy; it flew open and caused the entire group to literally spill into the room. The vocalist of Bad Luck was instantly drenched in red-hot embarrassment, but the prince transformed his embarrassment into anger. _

_The swift expiration of time caused the warm Eiri to revert back to his past form, which was the form of the cold 'Yuki'. However, his anger was accompanied by the warmth he had attained during the long journey. Instead of transforming back into the harsh individual he had been in the past, he simply took on the form of an exasperated_ _yet embarrassed student, one that had an important confession interrupted by fellow school mates. Ryuichi was on the receiving end of his 'anger' for a moment, then every group member became a 'target'. Through a whirlwind of passion, Eiri and Shuichi had removed every bit of their garments, and so both of them had exposed themselves to the beauteous winds. Neither of them had expected to receive surprise visits._

_Surprisingly, Claude K. Winchester and Lady Niha were in on the invasion. Every one of their companions had posted themselves at the door, despite K's halfhearted warnings. All of them had been gravely worried about their beloved couple, and so none of them wanted to miss out on their reunion. Even Suguru Fujisaki couldn't keep himself away from the bedroom door; for the very first time, the musician of Bad Luck took on the role of a mischievous child. A part of him felt a little strange, for he had never participated in sneaky acts, but the other half of his soul couldn't remove himself from their chosen post. Just like the others, he had made himself an accomplice to Ryuichi Sakuma's crime. and just like the others, he had poured into the room. _

_Several events ensued after the invasion; Suguru became an overwhelmed, disgraced parent, Shuichi released an adorable scream of shyness, Tatsuha fell onto his infuriated sibling, Reiji tossed a blanket over the embarassed songbird and Ryuichi fell into the room, covered in laughter. Lady Niha and K stood at each other's side, smiling as if they were adults observing children on the playground. During their vigil, the entire room erupted in chaos; the songbird became an embarassed toddler, hiding under a torrent of blankets. Eiri 'strangled' the member of Nittle Grasper, playfully held back by his brother Tatsuha. Hiroshi assisted Reiji in comforting the horror stricken Shuichi (who was phenomenally adorable; he bore a great resemblance to an embarrassed schoolgirl)._

_In no more than a few minutes, the eruption of calamity was transformed into a joyous reunion. Smiles, laughter and embraces were passed all around, flowing with the beauty of a blissful waterfall. Feeling as if they had been separated from Shuichi and Eiri for years, Ryuichi Sakuma, Hiroshi Nakano, Tatsuha Uesugi, Lady Niha, Reiji, Claude K.Winchester and Suguru Fujisaki smothered their long-lost friends in hugs and kisses, unwilling to let either one of them out of their sight. Even the king, who had lost his life during Deus' first attack, was reunited with the happy couple and decided to bestow his enthusiastic bliss upon them. It was like a wedding, a perfect matrimony with beloved friends...a celebration they would always remember._

_All of Anuryn was blessed with newborn happiness. For the very first time, the entire realm became alive with joy. Every inhabitant removed themselves from dark slumber, their faces radiant with never-ending rapture. As the skies emitted streams of iridescent starlight, every inhabitant celebrated the birth of eternal love. Even the smallest of children assisted with the celebration; they did whatever they could to emit their heart's emotions._

_The outsiders were welcomed into every family, receiving the treatment a kinsman would receive. The angel and his prince were showered with abundant warmth; every individual embraced them, bestowed a smile upon them and happily presented them with a hand-made gift. The sovereigns of Anuryn (who were also happily reunited) promised the two of them that they would be forever remember within their utopia...and that promise brought tears to every heart. The celebration drifted into the newborn night, radiant with the unending promise of daybreak...and it led to another night of blissful, unyielding passion._

_At the first sight of dawn, Lady Niha and her friends exposed themselves to the world...the world they had formed their bonds in. Breakfast was a silent yet joyous affair; none of them needed words to express their hearts. The food of Anuryn, as usual, was simple yet wonderful, filled with enough magic to last a thousand lifetimes. After the silent affair, the King of Anuryn, who had posted himself between the happy couple, removed himself from the table and explained he had to look after his beloved subjects. The remnants of the group removed themselves from the dining area...and made their way beyond the palace grounds...where the journey had first started._

_There wasn't a dry eye among the entire group. With heavy hearts, the outsiders embraced the young Lady Niha, feeling as if they had known her forever. Shuichi Shindou's tears made everything harder; the passionate vocalist was lost among sobs, and the words he delivered to Niha caused everyone to break down. They were simple...yet delivered with infinite appreciation..._

"_Thank you..."_

_Tatsuha, Ryuichi, Hiroshi, K, Suguru and Reiji made their teary goodbyes, their hearts emitting eternal affection for their beloved sovereign. Reiji flew into K's jet in tears, followed by Tatsuha and his beloved 'Ryu-chan'. A golden shaft of sunlight accompanied the small group as they made their descent into the jet, the very vehicle that had carried them into Anuryn...a place they would never look upon again. Silence also accompanied all of them, but it was shattered in no more than a few seconds; Eiri Uesugi gently removed himself from Shuichi Shindou's side, realizing that he had unfinished business with the young sovereign. With the greatest of loyalty and affection, Hiroshi Nakano escorted the vocalist into the vehicle for his new friend...as he made his way to the high-spirited princess. Both of them gazed at each other for a moment, bearing their own emotions; Niha looked upon Eiri with the warmth of an infinitely proud mother, and Eiri fell into the role of an emotional student. Sobs overwhelmed him as he threw himself into an embrace, sobbing the way he had done in the midst of Shuichi's father._

"_Thank you...thank you so much...without you..."_

_The sovereign had become 'notorious' for her high spirit. Playfully, she delivered a heavy slap to the weeping novelist's back and laughed, tossing off his high emotion with sweet nonchalance. The motherly novelist swept her sobbing friend into her arms and held him (after the painful slap on the back), emitting serenity's quintessence. Through his tears, the novelist apologized for being unable to return her heart's desires; she merrily tossed off that apology and said that her desires were 'lustful'. 'Who can help it?' she said with a shrug, betraying her true emotions. 'It's easy to be captivated by your resplendent grandeur, peita.'_

_In no more than a few seconds, the beauteous sovereign shoved him back into the jet, emitting a swift stream of motherly anger. Following her departure came the departure of her friends...the ones she had come to love so well..._

_Eight hours elapsed._

_Eiri Uesugi, Shuichi Shindou, Reiji, Ryuichi Sakuma, Suguru Fujisaki, Hiroshi Nakano, Claude K.Winchester and Tatsuha Uesugi found themselves in the midst of the Tokyo Airport...where their journey had ignited. Not a single world withdrew itself from their mouths, but their hearts were loud and clear; for some moments in life, no words were needed...and their return was another one of those moments. Shuichi Shindou was fast asleep, tucked safely into Eiri's protective arms...earning the eternal affection of his companions. Reiji was worried about Shuichi's silence; the vocalist had slept through the entire flight like a log, and hadn't made a move since. However, K soothed her fear by ruffling her hair, saying that their beloved songbird was just exhausted. All of them were happy to know that Deus had failed to ruin Shuichi; all of them knew that rape victims rarely ever recovered, so knowing of their songbird's happiness kept all of their hearts calm._

_Two days later...the vocalist opened his eyes...instantly met by the warm arms of his soul mate, Eiri. The angel found himself within a familiar environment, one he had found his dreams in. It was a place he had shared with his prince for so many days, creating eternal memories and embraces. It was the home they shared, their true...wondrous utopia..._

_As soon as Shuichi's eyes opened, the two of them fell into another whirlpool of sweet, beauteous passion._

_An hour later, the vocalist became Eiri Uesugi's fiancée._

_-'Forevermore' will follow this rapturous ending. I do have one small problem, though; should it be a OneShot, or an entire project? Hmmm..._

_Until the wedding, I wish all of you the best. Thank you for reading my work of love. To my dearest friend Bloody-May; thank you...for EVERYTHING. Without you, this story wouldn't have been possible._

_May Gravitation live on through our words and hearts._


End file.
